


Undisclosed Desires

by bittersaccharin



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Ace Copular - Freeform, Alternate Universe - High School, Blossom - Freeform, Blossom plays the violin, Boomer (PPG) - Freeform, Brick (PPG) - Freeform, Brick plays the viola, Bubbles - Freeform, Butch (PPG) - Freeform, Color-Coded Relationship(s) (PPG), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Language, F/M, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Multi, Rivals, Rowdyruff Boys - Freeform, Slow Burn, Teen Romance, Teenagers, The Powerpuff Girls, blossomutonium, bubblesutonium, buttercuputonium, they're all really awkward
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:46:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 47,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28125585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersaccharin/pseuds/bittersaccharin
Summary: A high school au full of messy teenage feelings with a side of crime fighting.-Blossom just wants to get through her senior year without ever having to acknowledge the Rowdyruff Boys. Being apart of a string quartet for the winter show with Brick Jojo was not apart of her plan.
Relationships: Ace Copular/Buttercup Utonium, Blossom/Brick, Boomer/Bubbles Utonium, Brick/Blossom Utonium, Bubbles/Boomer, Butch/Buttercup Utonium, Buttercup/Butch
Comments: 15
Kudos: 64





	1. Welcome to Senior Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I caved and wrote a PPGxRRB fanfic for my own self induglance LOL. I just really wanted to write a fic where Brick plays the viola and then this happened

Blossom held her breath.

"Emma Dubois, Marcus Lopez, Lina Bates-" 

"Oh, give me that!" Buttercup snatches the paper from the Blue Powerpuff, green eyes scanning quickly through the list of names with her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

After a long second, a sly smirk pulls at the corner of her lips. "Blossom Utonium," Her smirk grows as she holds up the sheet of paper for both sisters to see. Sure enough, Blossom's name was among the number of names. 

Blossom feels her body physically relax on the spot. All the tension that has been harbouring within her during the summer break has finally found its sweet release. 

"See Blossom! We told you not to worry," Bubbles jumps, pulling her redheaded sister in for a tight hug. "You worry too much for nothing. You're seriously going to stress yourself to the edge one day if you aren't careful, Bloss." The blonde frowns. 

The Pink Powerpuff sighs heavily, patting her sister gently. "The worries were not for nothing though. You never know, they could have decided that I wasn't up to par with their standards."

Buttercup scoffs from her spot against the wall. "The school would be an idiot not to consider you, Chief. You're literally Townsville High's best violinist. Probably the best violinist in all of Townsville, period."

Blossom felt her cheeks redden. "That's not... true." She mumbles, eyes setting on the wall where school announcements and posters hang.

Sure, Blossom has been playing the violin since she was three, but that did not particularly mean anything. Yes, there had been awards for her performances, many school concerts, and orchestra practices every thursday, but the competition for Townsville Conservatory was tough. They had the lowest acceptance rates, only accepting one musical candidate from each high school. 

To sum it up, being hand picked for admission was a big deal. The university was reknown across the country for their success rate. To even be considered for a spot was an honour in itself. Blossom has been working towards this for all her life she could hardly believe how quickly their senior year had arrived. 

From beside her, Bubbles hums. "Looks like Brick is also a candidate this year." 

At the sound of that name, Blossom's nose crinkles. Of course he was on the list. She was far from surprised. Brick is her biggest competitor in the music world and beyond it. No matter how much she disliked her counterpart, she had to admit, he was talented. Brick knew it too. He had no issues throwing that into her face whenever the chance arised. It seemed that the two of them were always butting heads in and out of the classroom.

"Hmm, this should be interesting then." Buttercup snorts, crossing her arms over her chest. Her gaze lazily slides past Blossom's shoulder. "Speak of the devil." 

Blossom stiffens as the sheet of paper is snatched from between Bubbles' fingers in one quick motion. 

"I'll take that now," Brick's smooth voice rang in her ears. He was now holding the sheet of paper, eyeing the names on the list. He gave it a satisfied nod but looked neither impressed or pleased. 

Blossom held her tongue. Last night she made a promise to herself that she would not speak to the Rowdyruff unless spoken to first or unless absolutely necessary. Senior year was important and she didn't need to distract herself with his crude ways.

"Ugh," Butch grumbles, rolling his eyes as he eyed the packed halls. The Green Ruff looked less than enthusiastic to be on school grounds. "Back in this shit-hole..." 

"It's senior year," Brick mutters, handing the paper back to Bubbles without another glance. A little confused, she still takes it as Brick readjusts the strap of his bag over his shoulder, "If we can get you to graduate then our jobs are done." 

Without another word, Brick stalks down the hall, students parting to let the Red Ruff pass in fear of being caught in his way.

"Oh goodness, look at the time!" Bubbles suddenly gasps as she pockets her phone. "I need to hurry if I want to get to Art class on time. Got to go!" She dashes off before either of her sisters could interject, a flash of blue trailing behind her speeding figure.

Butch sighs heavily, his eyes finally landing on the other two Puffs as if he just realized they were standing there. Then his gaze focuses on Blossom. A slow smirk appears. "Hello, Blossom," He leers.

"Goodbye, Dickwad," Buttercup cuts in with a growl, grabbing her sister by the wrist to pull her away from Butch's sight. 

"Aw, don't be a such a buzzkill, Butterfingers! It's the first day of Senior year, let me have some fun." 

"We will be sticking a ten foot pole between ourselves and your fun." Blossom retorts under her breath allowing Buttercup to steer her away. The last thing any of the girls needed was to get caught up in whatever the Green Ruff had in mind. 

Blossom tries to remind herself that it was their last year at Townsville High. Just one more year to endure with the Ruffs before they'd all be out of here. One more year before Blossom would hopefully be studying at Townsville Conservatory.

She can do this.

With a breeze of confidence, Blossom rolls back her shoulders and checks the time on her watch. They had exactly five minutes before first period. Each of the girls had different classes so Buttercup was the first to duck away from her sister once they reach her english class.

"See you at lunch, Chief?" 

"See you then." Blossom replies before she made her way down to her calculus class. Inside, she spots Robin already waiting for her at an open desk for two. Blossom smiles at their long time friend.

"Morning, Robin," She says as she settles into the seat beside the happy looking brunette. Robin grins widely to greet her before beginning to tap her pen against her chin in thought.

"You look extra happy today, Bloss. I'm assuming you saw the list?" 

Blossom is surprised for a moment but is instantly reminded that she shouldn't be. Of course Robin would be one of the first to know, even if she wasn't in string. The Pink Powerpuff distracts herself by pulling out her notebook. 

"Maybe."

The bell rings, signaling the start of first period. Miss Keane, the grade 12 calculus teacher at Townsville High School, approaches the front of a class with a big smile. Blossom loves Miss Keane. She was no doubt one of the most caring teachers at THS.

"Welcome—" 

Suddenly, the door bangs open. 

A very laid back Butch saunters in, eyes scanning the room before they land on Blossom. He smirks ever so slightly. 

Blossom grimaces, holding a hand to her temple. Of course Butch of all people would be in this class. From the front of the classroom, Miss Keane was lecturing Butch about his tardy habits and the importance of being on time.

"Won't happen again, Miss!" Butch replies calmly, slowly trailing to the open seat... just behind Blossom.

She stiffens but keeps her eyes straight ahead, ignoring the green eyed Ruff behind her. She hears the chair creak as he leans back in his seat, his gaze never drifiting away from the back of her head.

This was going to be a long semester.

-UD-

Bubbles closes the door to the office behind her as she departs from the foyer of the school building. Miss Moore had asked for a volunteer to take the attendance down and Bubbles had happily offered to do so.

The Blue Puff passes through the empty hallway, ready to go up the stairs that would take her to the second floor when she feels a warm hand clasp around her wrist, suddenly pulling her aside and right underneath the staircase.

In seconds, a pair of lips are on her own.

The kiss was unexpected but familiar. If it had been anyone else, Bubbles would have disarmed the person the second they touched her. But this person wasn't just anyone.

She found herself kissing back, allowing the person to press her up against the wall before slowly pulling away to speak.

"Boomer," She giggles. One hand reaches up to touch his cheek as the Blue Ruff smiles down at her, his own hands resting comfortably around her waist. He was practically cornering her into the wall but the Blue Puff didn't mind at all.

Bubbles feels her heart flutter at the sight of his easy going smile. One that was resevered for moments like these where they were out of sight from prying eyes. Just the two of them. 

"Hello, beautiful." 

Boomer leans over to steal another kiss and Bubbles laughs once again, putting her hands up against his chest more firmly to stop him from taking any more. "What has gotten into you? Shouldn't you be in chemistry right now?" 

Bubbles has to admit, she was happy to see him. They had only momentarily spoken on the phone last night, but now that they were finally face to face, Bubbles felt the urge to get closer to him after what felt like so long. Keeping their relationship a secret has been far from easy. She had to constantly remind herself that they were doing this to protect what they had. If people found out... gosh, she didn't even want to think about what people would say. Especially not her family. Keeping her sisters in the dark about Boomer has been the hardest thing Bubbles has ever done in her whole 17 years of living. 

"I saw you pass by my class and I decided to surprise you," Boomer murmurs right into the curve of her neck, warm breath fanning the exposed skin. Bubbles shivers and the Blue Ruff smiles ever so slightly. "Plus, aren't I allowed to see my lovely girlfriend?"

The word 'girlfriend' has Bubbles freezing on the spot. The word is still so new to her. At least, hearing it from the Blue Rowdyruff himself. 

"I guess that's allowed," Bubbles hums pleasantly in response.

Boomer leans back. A hand reaches out to touch a long pigtail of Bubbles' hair in affection. "You really do look lovely," He almost blushes and it makes Bubbbles' heart beat quickly. 

Boomer never fails to pull these reactions from her. Even after spending so many months together like this, he still fills her stomach with excitement and butterflies.

"I need to get back to class, Boom." Bubbles says instead, trying not to get too caught up in the way of his words. If she could, she would have stayed under the staircase with him for the rest of the period but Miss Moore must be wondering what is taking her so long. Plus, the two of them can't risk staying like this for too long... somebody may spot them.

However, Boomer doesn't seem to budge. The Ruff pouts down at her. He looks like a child that was refused his favourite candy. 

"So soon?" 

"Miss Moore is waiting for me," Bubbles says firmly, pushing lightly at his chest. 

It's futile because Boomer is stubbornly holding himself to the spot. They both know that Bubbles has more than enough strength to knock Boomer out of the way and the speed to carry herself back to class in a nanosecond but they both stay put, neither of them wanting to leave the other so soon.

"One more kiss." He pleads.

"Boomer," Bubbles sighs, "somebody might see us."

He arches an eyebrow at her. "That didn't stop you two minutes ago..." 

She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. "Boomer..." 

"One kiss," He puckers his lips, leaning further, hands on either side of her head. "I promise I'll let you go. I'll even see you to your classroom." 

"You're so silly," Bubbles finds herself whispering but none-the-less leans further to give her boyfriend the quickest peck that they've ever shared before smoothly ducking under his right arm and making a move for the stairs.

From below, she hears a loud, offended gasp. "That wasn't even a proper kiss!" Boomer almost whines, blue eyes upset. 

She giggles brushing back her hair to smile down at him. "Get to class, Boomie." 

And just like that, he softens, shaking his head so his blonde locks move. He points a promising finger at her. "I hope you know you're not quite off the hook yet." 

Bubbles holds back another laugh as she pushes away from the railing. "See you later!"

-UD-

"What do you mean there won't be a girls team this year?" Buttercup asks in disbelief.

She couldn't quite wrap her head around the giant bomb that Coach Lee dropped on her seconds before her favourite period of the day; lunch. 

The older man sighs, exhasperated. He was probably expecting this reaction from the Green Puff. "I'm sorry Buttercup but there just weren't enough girls at tryouts. Lacrosse isn't as popular, I suppose." 

Sure, there weren't many girls at the try outs this morning. Only five girls from last year's team made it but Buttercup had just assumed others would eventually show up. They didn't. Maybe the team just needed more announcements to bring people to tryouts. 

"But there are some of us! Couldn't we still form a team or something?" 

"Not enough for a proper team." He deadpans. "But that does not mean you cannot join any of the other teams. Surely there is another team you were going to try out for?" 

"But I couldn't care about the other teams! I wanted to play lacrosse! We were getting so much better last year, Coach. Suddenly half the teams graduates and you're telling me last year's juniors no longer want to play?" 

Coach Lee sighs again, clearly exasperated, and Buttercup can tell it's taking him all he's got to not just turn the other away and discard this conversation just like the girl's lacrosse team was discarded. Not that Buttercup would let him. 

A hand reels Buttercup backwards. "Seriously, Buttercup? Just drop it for now." Mike Believe whispers and she finds herself shoving her shoulder away from his touch.

Unfortunetly for Buttercup, Coach Lee takes her moment of distraction as an escape. "We'll talk another time, Miss Utonium." 

That was practically code for end of discussion. Buttercup feels her blood begin to boil beneath her skin. 

She swivels on her feet to glare at Mike. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" 

The captain of the boy's lacrosse team squints back at her. "Me? What's the matter with you? You can't just attack Coach Lee! That definitely won't get you anywhere." He rolls his eyes.

Buttercup doesn't reply. Instead, she turns to walk towards the cafeteria. Mike sighs and breaks into a jog to keep up with her quick strides.

"Why don't you go for track again?" 

"Boring," She grumbles.

"Basketball?" 

"Don't wanna."

"Golf?" 

Buttercup halts in her tracks, eyes wide. "Oh my God, Mike... you're a genius!" 

His brown eyes light up. "Really?"

"No," Buttercup snaps, pushing through the cafeteria doors while leaving a grumbling Mike behind her.

She scans the area until she finds her sisters and their friends sitting at a table near the exit to the courtyard. Robin spots her first and waves.

"Hey guys." 

Buttercup drops into an open seat, jaw clamped shut while deep in thought. Mike barely glances at her as he takes the seat across from her. "Don't bother with her, she's upset about the girls lacrosse team." 

"Aw, Buttercup," Bubbles sets down her carrot sticks. "I'm sure there are plently of other teams that you'd be interested in."

"Apparently there isn't." Mike supplies before taking an aggressive bite out of his sandwich.

"I don't see the issue here." Blossom frowns. 

This earns Buttercup's undivided attention. "Um, Blossom? No girls team means I can't play lacrosse." Then, after a beat, "Aren't you supposed to be the smartest out of all of us?" 

Blossom sighs, setting down her calculus textbook. Of course she was already take a crack at the books during lunch. It wasn't even the end of their first day back at school and Blossom is getting a head start on her homework. So typical. 

"No, it only means you won't be able to play on the girls lacrosse team," Blossom says in a pointed tone. "It doesn't necessarily mean you can't play on the boys lacrosse team." 

"You can't be serious." Mike deadpans, glancing around the table. Nobody says a word. He looks to Robin who is staring between the two sisters with wide eyes. "She can't be serious... can she?" He whispers finally.

Buttercup's lips part before her signature smirk is eteching itself onto her face. "Blossom you are a genius!" 

Blossom shakes her head, nose diving back into her textbook as the Green Puff is jumping out of her seat, saying something about needing to find Coach Lee right that instant.

Buttercup can hear Robin's giggles. "Seems like Coach Lee won't be catching a break today." 

-UD-

When music class rolls around, Blossom couldn't contain much of her excitement. Music class was her favourite, not just because of the violin but because of their teacher, Mr Reynolds. He has dedicated so much time to the music program at Townsville High and was the reason that Blossom decided to pursue music as a full time thing. 

The classroom was filled with loud chatters of the many students. Fourth period music was reserved for the string instruments only. Usually in orchestra you would find a multitude of instruments from string to brass to woodwind and percussion but for this class there was only string instruments. Blossom wished string and woodwind instruments had class together. At least then she and Robin would be in the same class.

Blossom makes her way through the seats, saying hello to her classmates before she settles in an open seat in the first violins section which she was assigned to. As usual, the violins were to the left of the conductor's view. 

Blossom sets her sheet music onto the stand and then unpacks her violin from it's case. She begins to rosin her bow when she catches sight of the Red Rowdyruff taking his spot in the viola section which happened to be near her line of view.

As if he can sense her gaze, he looks up only to find Blossom focused back on her bow. She tries not to act too disapointed by his appearance. Of course Brick would be in this class. It was unavoidable. Why oh why did her counterpart have to be some musical prodigy? Why couldn't he have been more interested in sports like his brothers?

The sudden loud tapping of a baton against a stand brings Blossom out of her thoughts. Mr Reynolds is standing on his conductor's podium, a big smile on his face. 

"Welcome everyone to another year of string orchestra," He greets, looking around the classroom, "first things first, I have this year's string quartet picked out. As you all know, this was decided by an anonymous vote among the class last spring. If I could have all of you in this quartet I would," He laughs, "You have all done an exquisite job so do not be discouraged by the outcome. You still have an orchestra to take part in so if anything this would have been more work." Mr Reynolds teases.

Every year Mr Reynolds organizes a string quartet to perform at the school's Winter show which is open to the public of Townsville. Orchestra always performs and he includes smaller pieces for students to take part in because it was a great opportunity for students to showcase their musical skills to visiting post-secondary adminstrators. 

The giant black book that rests on his stand is pushed open and Mr Reynolds doesn't miss a beat as he reads off the names, "Congrats to Brick Jojo on the viola, Via Kim as second violin, Jonathan Pike on the cello, and Blossom Utonium as the first violin. You four will make up the string quartet for this year's winter performance." 

Claps and hoots of excitement go all around the classroom. Blossom feels several pats on her back from her fellow classmates but she can't seem to match their excitment. She would be playing in the quartet with her counterpart, of all people.

Blossom detests herself for being surprised. Of course Brick was a top contender. He was very talented. The whole class knew it. Mr Reynolds knew it. Even Blossom herself knew it. She takes a peak at Maya, another talented senior violist in their class. She was congragulating Brick with a big smile while he awkwardly thanked her.

Mr Reynolds is back to tapping his baton to reel the class back in. "Okay, settle down, students," he says, "I know you are all very excited but we have lots of work to do. Also! Orchestra practice begins next week so don't forget! Now, turn to page 24 of your music books..."

-UD-

"What's your hold up, man?" Boomer asks as he watches Butch slowly zip up his gym bag. The Blue Ruff had stayed for the first half of tryouts in promise of grabbing food afterwards. He seemed quite impatient to leave and Butch wonders if he was really that hungry. 

Butch rolls his eyes, running a hand through his hair. It was matted with sweat from post try out, but nothing to worry about. He knew he still looked good. 

"I told you, I'm staying to watch the rest of try outs." 

Boomer's eyes turn to slits. "Why?" He asks carefully. Of course he believes Butch has some sort of ulterior motive for wanting to stay for the other's performances. Then again, he wasn't exactly wrong...

Butch shrugs, taking a swing of his water. "I want to see what the competition looks like." 

There were so many guys trying out for the lacrosse team this year that Coach Lee had to split the tryout's into two groups. Butch had been put into group 1. He wasn't particularly worried about not making it on the team. Butch was a great lacrosse player and he knew it. He was just curious about a certain player that he had overheard speaking to Coach Lee during lunch.

"Hang on, is that Buttercup?!" Boomer gasps like a fish out of water, taking notice of the Green Powerpuff among the line of the guys on the field. 

Even with a helmet on, it wasn't hard to make her out from the crowd. Her muscle top revealed smooth skin and beneath the cage of her helmet, Butch could make out her signature scowl. Sure, she may have been shorter than most of the guys in the lineup but that did not make her any less fearsome. 

Butch smirks, leaning back against the bench he was sat on. "You bet your ass it is." 

"She's trying out for the guys lacrosse team?" Boomer asks incredulously, not quite able to wrap his head around the scene in front of him.

"She's a strange one, isn't she?" Butch almost muses. For once in his life, the Green Ruff looked to be deep in thought.

Boomer phone buzzes with an incoming text which he checks before pocketing it away. He readjusts the strap on his shoulder. He glances at his brother who was still immersed in the try out. 

"You're seriously staying?" 

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" 

Boomer rolls his eyes. "Fine," He mutters, "I'm leaving then. Have fun stalking Buttercup on your own, weirdo." 

"Hey!" Butch interjects in an annoyed tone, gaze finally pulled away from the field. "I am not stalking her!" 

Boomer kicks off from the ground in a trail of blue. "Call it whatever you want, Butch!"

Butch grumbles, turning back in his seat to face the front of the field. Everyone was listening to Coach Lee's instructions, nodding along to his every word. Damn, Butch wishes he had a bowl of popcorn right now. He had a feeling things were going to get real interesting.

The whistle blows the group instantly breaks into a jog. They run a few laps until they spread apart to do some stretches. Coach Lee eventually calls for the group and breaks them down into seperate sections on the field to take part in lacrosse drills. 

The field has become a place of chaos. Balls are being thrown, students are cradling the balls in full run to try and score in the net. Butch keeps his gaze leveled on Buttercup, watching the slim player weave her way through the field. The ball is passed by one of her teammates and Buttercup jumps, her stick lifting to scoop the throw in mid air to take the ball without missing a beat.

Her muscles are powering through and Butch leans forward as she side steps another player from the other team who attempts to come at her straight on. Buttercup sees it coming because she dodges the contact with an impressive looking footwork before he can knock her off onto her ass and continues barreling towards the net at full force. Her stick swings in the air and he watches as the ball flies straight over the goalie's shoulder and directly into the net.

Coach Lee is clapping loudly. "Atta girl! Keep it up, Utonium!" 

The raven haired Puff doesn't even look fazed. She rolls back her shoulders and jogs towards the centre of the field to take part in the next drill. 

Butch watches in silence as the Powerpuff powers through the rest of the practice, noting how she is unafraid to come into contact with the other players at any moment. She doesn't mind when it comes to getting down and dirty which was proven by the many dives she's taken to breech the ball from the other team. 

Oh yes, this would definitely be an interesting year.

-UD-

Blossom feels someone tap her shoulder.

"Hey, Blossom?"

Turning in her chair, she finds Jonathan smiling down at her. His cello was no longer in his hand but instead replaced by his music book. 

Blossom rises from her chair, her violin case resting on her now empty seat. A few students attempt to shuffle past them and Jonathan steps back politely to let them through the tight space.

"Hi Jonathan," Blossom finally says and Jonathan smiles in return, jabbing a thumb behind him in a gesture beyond the crowded rows of stands. 

"Mind if we talk for a sec with the group?" 

"Sure." Blossom murmurs. She picks up her case and follows Jonathan's tall figure to the back of the room where Via and a brooding Brick were waiting by the line of drums. Via was the first to speak.

"Ah, this is so exciting, don't you guys think? I'm really happy with our group." 

"Truly thrilling," Brick mutters sarcastically, never looking at the group as he stares intensely at the doorway that he was probably wishing he could speed out of right this instant.

Blossom holds back her tongue once again. It was taking everything inside of her to not reprimand the Red Ruff for his unneccesary attitude. 

Patience, Blossom. Don't get so riled up by him. It is not worth it.

"Anyway..." Via sends a questioning look in Brick's direction before settling back on the other two group members. "When is everyone free to start practicing?" 

"Well, string orchestra practice happen every Tuesdays and Thursdays so it would probably have to be afterwards or on alternating days." Blossom hums.

"Do Wednesdays and Fridays work for everyone?" Jonathan questions.

"That works." 

"Sure!"

"Brick?" 

The Red Ruff finally snaps his attention back to the group, his usual stoic expression gracing them in response. 

"That's fine." Brick slowly replies.

"We also need to pick a piece." Blossom reminds the group.

"How about we each bring something next Tuesday at orchestra and we can decide then? That way by Wednesday we can be ready to start for sure." 

"Fine by me." Blossom nods.

Via claps her hands together and sqeuals in delight. "Awesome! So starting next week then?" 

Jonathan nods, looking over at Blossom. "That work for everyone?" 

"Sounds good," Blossom replies reassuringly. She turns to look at her counterpart, awaiting his response.

Brick pushes himself off from the wall, readjusting his grip on his viola case. He barely looks at Blossom. "Sure. Now are we done here?" 

"Yeah." Jonathan cooly responds for the group.

Brick hardly acknowledges them as he turns away from the group and slips right out the door. 

Via huffs, arms crossing over her chest. "He is so menacing! Gosh, I thought he was going to laser my head off when I approached him." 

"You'll get used to it." Blossom's tone comes out dry.

Unfazed, Jonathan makes way to the door, pulling it wide open. 

"After you, ladies." 

-UD-

"Here you go, m'lady." 

Boomer holds out a bottle of orange juice, a bag of takeout food nestled comfortably in his other arm.

"Thank you, Boomie. How much do I owe you?" 

"Just a kiss," Boomer smoothly replies. He then gives Bubbles a pointed look. "A proper kiss." 

Giggling, the Blue Puff leans over to plant a nice, long smooch on her boyfriend's lips. She pulls away only slightly, staying close enough to feel his lips gently brush against hers. 

"That work for you?" She whispers.

A little dazed, the Blue Ruff leans back, slowly licking his lips. "I don't know, I think you might have to try again just so we can be sure." 

Bubbles snorts, leaning over to grab the bag of food from her boyfriend. 

"Later. Food first. I'm absolutely starving." 

Boomer chuckles, allowing her to rifle through the bag and pull out the goods. Today they opted for some fast food because it was ultimately cheap and quick to get ahold of which was ideal after a long day at school. 

The Ruff pops the tab to his soda and takes a long sip, watching as Bubbles laid out their lunch. The two of them were sitting on the roof of an old company building in Townsville. It was located on the outskirts, somewhere further away from their high school and respective homes. Somewhere out of sight from their siblings who usually flew home after all their music lessons and athletic practices were done for the day.

It had become their spot.

"How was your day?" 

Bubbles pauses, chewing thoughtfully before she answers. "I think it was good! I'm excited for Art class since we're finally getting to paint the mural in the foyer which is pretty cool," Bubbles chatters happily, "Although I'm bummed that we have literally zero classes together this semester." 

Boomer lightly bumps his shoulder against her own. "There's always next semester." 

"But with school starting we'll hardly get to see each other anymore." 

She didn't mean to be such a downer but it was true. With school starting up it meant spending less time with Boomer and getting right back into copious amounts of homework and extra curriculars. Plus there was always the impeeding reminder of trouble that took place around Townsville. There truly was no rest for the wicked. 

Bubbles sighs, thinking back to their summer together. For the most part it had been good. She had more time to meet with Boomer after her volunteer hours at the elderly home. Blossom was always busy with her music lessons and Buttercup was either coaching the Little League Soccer program or playing sports herself. On the weekends the girls would get together and spend some quality time with their father or friends. Then of course battles happened every now and then which were more so inconviences than actual summer plans. 

"I guess we'll just have to start studying together." 

Bubbles snorts again, shaking her head. She reaches for a french fry. "That is definitely not happening."

"And why not?" 

"Because you never study when I'm around! Even way before we started dating you'd get all distracted and chatty. I swear, you spent more time trying to flirt with me during spare than you did studying." 

Boomer huffs, flicking the tab of his soda can. "That's not my fault." 

Bubbles raises a single eyebrow. "Oh, so it's mine?" 

"Yes," Boomer grins slyly. "Your beauty is so mesmerizing that I just can't help myself. Beauty in all forms must be appreciated. Plus, it was totally worth it. We got together, didn't we?" 

The blonde laughs, shaking her head. "Yeah, like I said, that's definitely not happening again."

"Oh, come on! What if I promise to stay focused? We could sit on opposite ends of the table." 

"Nope." 

"Okay, opposite ends of the room." 

"Nope." 

"Bubbles!" Boomer groans.

"Study with your brother." 

"Which one? The cranky bastard who never leaves his bedroom or the meathead who doesn't know how to count past 20?" 

"...Point taken."

There's a moment of pause.

"Does Butch really not know how to count past 20?" 

Boomer shrugs. "Beats me. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if he had some difficulty..."

"Blossom says he is in her calculus class." 

"Yikes," Boomer cringes. "I was surprised he even enrolled. Then again, Brick is making us take some of those lame courses." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah," He picks at a french fry from the box that sits between them. "Something about wanting us to keep our options open." He mumbles, shrugging as if he didn't quite get it himself.

"What do you want to do after highschool, Boomie?" 

There was a pause. A click of a tongue against the roof of a mouth is heard as Boomer continues to keep his gaze leveled with the view ahead. There was minimal traffic on this side of town, the area bare of pedestrians and loud noises. If anything, it was a peaceful place. Sometimes time didn't seem to move at all when they were here. Other times, it was moving so quickly Bubbles barely had time to keep up. However, when she was with Boomer, it didn't really matter. He'd hold her hand and they'd let time go on, meerly becoming a concept of space that they didn't truly feel. At least, not when they were together.

"This is going to sound really silly." 

"You can tell me," Bubbles whispers into the breeze.

Boomer hesitates before taking a deep breath. "I... I think I want to be a teacher." 

Bubbles eyebrows raise in surprise. To be honest, she wasn't really sure what she was expecting him to say. The more she thought about it though, the more she could imagine Boomer standing in front of a whiteboard with a classroom full of tiny children waiting to start their lesson. 

Boomer tends to avoid conversations surronding his family. Bubbles has begun to think that maybe post secondary school discussions was another one of those touchy subjects. 

The Blue Ruff peaks at her and instantly deflates. "You think it's stupid, don't you?" He asks in a dull tone.

"What? No, of course not," Bubbles interjects firmly. "Why would I?"

"Dunno... Brick doesn't think I have the grades for it," Boomer sighs, eyes casting downwards. "And he's right about that. I am 'the dumber than the dumbest.'" He quotes bitterly.

"Screw Brick." Bubbles scoffs. She could hardly believe the words that were coming out of her boyfriend's mouth. "You can do anything you put your mind to, understand?" 

When Boomer doesn't reply, Bubbles plants a firm finger underneath his chin, turning him so he can face her. She leans forward, eyes stern to make sure she can get her point across. 

"You can get into any program you want. Any! You just... need a little bit of encouragement."

"I think I'm going to need more than just encouragement. Perferably a new brain." 

"No," Bubbles instantly frowns. "Don't say things like that. I... I like your brain just the way it is. And you should too." 

A hint of a smile begins to tug on the corner of Boomer's lips. "You're really cheesy, you know that?" 

"I was not being cheesy. I meant every word." 

"C'mere." 

"Boomer. I meant it." 

"I know you meant it. Now c'mere." 

"One kiss. I want to finish my food before it gets too cold." 

"...Two kisses?"

"Boomie..."

"Oh, just let me kiss you already!"

-UD-

"How did tryouts go, Buttercup? You said you were going for lacrosse again this year, right?" 

"Actually—" Blossom starts and Buttercup throws her a glare. Now was certaintly not the time to reveal to the Professor about the slight alteration in teams. For now, she'll allow him to believe it was the girls team until she was sure he wouldn't force her to join another team that wasn't packed with highschool boys. 

"They were fine," Buttercup nods after scooping some greens onto her plate. She and her sisters were currently sitting around the table while the Professor cut up the roastbeef. 

"I'm sure they went well. I hate to admit it, but you do have a knack for contact sports," He chuckles before nodding to her plate which she holds out to him.

"Thank you, Professor." 

He smiles kindly. "Don't mention it. Bubbles?" 

One by one, the professory cuts and lays the roast onto their plates before he settles back into his own seat. He looks around the table as he cut through his own dinner. 

"So, Blossom do you have any news for us?" 

"Oh," She blushes and Buttercup rolls her eyes. She didn't need to act so humble all the time, they were all quite aware of Blossom's musical talents so it wouldn't kill her to be more open about it. "Besides being considered for Townsville Conservatory, Mr Reynolds announced the string quartet members for the Chrismas Concert."

"Wow, that's great, honey! Who else are you performing with?" 

"Um, just few kids from orchestra like Via Kim, Jonathan Pike and... Brick Jojo," She mumbles the last name into her cup of water so lowly that the rest of the table almost don't catch it. 

There's a pause at the dinner table. 

Buttercup and Bubbles share a look.

"Brick Jojo, huh?" The Professor hums, rubbing a hand across his chin in thought. "I suppose that isn't too surprising. He was fantastic at the Spring concert last year. And the one before that..." 

"Yeah..." Blossom murmurs, not quite interested in expanding on the topic.

Buttercup stabs her fork through her greens to break the awkward veil that has presented itself.

The Professor clears his throat, turning his attention to Bubbles. "And you, sweetheart? How was your day?"

The Blue Puff discreetly plays with her greens, eyes trained on her plate. "It was good, I guess. Miss Moore announced that we can finally start painting the mural in the foyer which is pretty exciting."

Buttercup's nose crinkles in response. "About time. That wall was starting to get real musty." 

"Right?" Bubbles chuckles. "I think some fresh paint around the school will do some good. Bring in a new vibe, you know?" 

"As long as it is not puke yellow, I think any colour would suffice." Buttercup mutters, wielding her fork like it was a miniture weapon.

Blossom grimaces. "Please refrain from mentioning bodily fluids or anything of the sort at the dinner table." 

"I second that." The Professor adds.

"Won't happen again." 

-UD-

"Ah shit," Buttercup curses. "We're definitely going to be late." 

Technically, Buttercup could just fly off to the class and make it with enough time to spare, but apparently she and Mitch were waiting on someone. 

"What? We have like 10 minutes before class starts." Mitch points out.

"Nah, your phone is just 5 minutes behind again." Buttercup sighs.

"What?" The boy gasps, "Damn it, Buttercup, stop doing that!"

"Can't help it. I was bored and you left your phone on the table," She smirks as Mitch attempts to readjust the time on his cell through the settings. "Hey, is your buddy showing up or not?" 

Buttercup and Mitch were currently waiting in the school parking lot for one of Mitch's friends. Apparently he was new to Townsville High School and Buttercup had a feeling he was another Gaming Geek considering he was friends with Mitch, of all people. 

Sure, Mitch is one of her best friend, but she couldn't deny how nerdy he was when it came to things like online gaming. It was quite funny.

"Calm your tits, he said he was coming. Be a little more patient Buttercup, jeez." Mitch huffs.

"My tits are as calm as the sea."

"Cool, can I see 'em?" 

Turning on her feet, Buttercup's murderous glare comes face to face with a very laid back looking Butch. He grins, head cocking ever so slightly to the side. "So, can I?" 

"Fuck off, Butch." Buttercup growls.

The Green Puff pouts mockingly. "Aw, but I was really hoping to get a peak at the goods. Guess I'll just have to ask your smokin' hot sister instead. I bet she has a nice pair of—" 

Buttercup is pushing him back up against the wall in seconds, fist reeling back in preparation to be launched right into the bastard's smug face. 

"Finish that sentence and you'll get my fist in your ugly face."

Butch scoffs. "I am not ugly." 

Buttercup decides to punch him in the jaw anyway.

_Hard._

"Hey!" The Green Ruff snarls, heading snapping back to the direction her fist flew at his jaw. "I didn't even finish the sentence!"

Buttercup loosens her grip, stepping back. She clenches and unclenches her fist, welcoming the rush from that hit. "Don't care." 

"Fine, you want to play like that, Butterfingers?" Butch growls, stepping closer into her personal space. "We can play like that." He hisses lowly.

Sure, Buttercup may have poked the bear, but she wasn't scared of this bear. This one was lazy and had a weak right hook. She would know considering she's met many of them head on. 

Then again, picking a fight with a Rowdyruff was directly on Blossom's "Do Not" list, however with every ticking second that list was becoming more and more blurry in Buttercup's mind. She clenches her right fist at the sight of Butch's cocky face. Surely another hit wouldn't do anything a little Chemical-X couldn't fix...

"Am I interupting something?" 

"Yes." Both the Greens snap, green eyes blazing in the direction of the unwelcomed newcomer.

A tall, dark haired boy arches an eyebrow from below his dark sunglasses. His hair was long and that blue and orange vest he was sporting didn't scream anything close to Gaming Geek. Mitch was actually friends with this dude? 

He looks between them, eyes lingering momentarily on Buttercup for a second longer than she'd like, before Mitch speaks up. 

"Don't mind them," He rolls his eyes and then nods towards the school entrance. "Lets go before Buttercup decides to fight anyone before 9AM."

Butch barely bristles. He points a finger at Buttercup. "This isn't over, Butterfingers." Then he speeds past the group with a streak of green.

Annoyed, Buttercup turns away from Mitch and his unnamed friend. "Later." 

She takes off in the direction of her classroom before Mitch can protest. 

-UD-

"Pachelbel's Canon in D, huh? That's going to be hard to top." 

Blossom was currently sitting in the now, empty, music room with her other quartet members. They had just finished up with the first string orchestra practice and to say it went well was a bit of an overstatment. The first practice is always a little chaotic after summer break where most students have mostly been playing by themselves. 

Despite the chaos, Blossom could tell Mr Reynolds was enjoying himself. He was quite clearly in his element.

"It's childplay." Jonathan teases.

"Yeah, that's because the cellos only have to play the same eight notes!" Via laughs.

"True, but they still have to be on time with music." Blossom murmurs. She pulls out her music book to rifle through the many sheets. "Okay... so suggestions for our piece?"

"How about Anton Webern's Langsamer Satz." Via supplies.

"No, definitely not." Brick butts in.

The dark haired girl pulls back at the sound of his voice. The red on her cheeks reveals her embaressement, but Via still holds her ground. "And why not?" 

"Well, to be frank, it is not his best piece. Plus, it's mostly slow and I doubt the audience would be able to resonate with it unless they recognized it, which I highly doubt most of Townsville will." He mutters.

"He does have a point..." Jonathan hums. "What about Vivaldi's Winter? It even fits with the whole winter theme for the show."

Blossom shakes her head. "Marissa's group played that last year, remember? It would look like we are recycling their work." 

She remembers that piece quite distinctively. The quartet had done a really beautiful job at bringing the music to life and Mr Reynolds loved it. There was no way they could play that this year.

"Maybe we could do something like the Nutcracker? Surely everybody would recognize it." 

There's a scoff from among the group. "Tchaikovsky? Seriously, Utonium?"

Blossom's head turns so fast she's surprised she didn't give herself whiplash. Technically, this doesn't go against her "Don't talk to the Rowdyruffs" rule. Brick spoke to her first.

"Don't tell me you have something against, Tchaikovsky." Via gasps. 

Brick's mouth opens and then clamps shut, his jaw clenching tightly. "Fine," He mumbles. "I won't tell you." 

Ugh, always so sassy.

"No, please elborate. What do you have against Tchaikovsky, Brick?"

For a moment, Brick seems taken back by Blossom's direct question. Then, he crosses his arms over his chest, eyes glaring straight on without faltering. 

"I just think many of his pieces are over played and tacky." 

"Um, did you have suggestions then, Brick?" Jonathan asks nervously, looking between the two Reds.

"Bocelli's Time to Say Goodbye. It's a nice piece but I suppose it doesn't fit the theme, or whatever." 

Jonathan hums, a little more at ease now that the two Reds weren't glaring at each other. "That's true but it really is a beautiful piece." 

"Okay, what if we just ignored the theme since it seems to be causing too many problems..." Via suggets to no one in particular. 

"You know what, this is taking up way too much time and I have places to be. I'm out." Brick grunts, standing up from his seat. Via and Jonathan look at a loss for words. 

"Running away are you?" Blossom bites. This has Brick's head turning right into her direction, eyes blazing with a fire that she hadn't seen in what felt like so long. 

"What did you just say to me?" 

"You heard me," She crosses her arms over her chest, holding her back in a proper posture. "Just admit it. You always get so vexed when you aren't in charge." 

"What, and you don't?" Brick retorts, scoffing again.

"At least I know how to take suggestions." Blossom counters, growing more upset by the second. This was a big mistake. The two of them could hardly hold a civilized conversation without agruing with one another. How did Mr Reynolds expect them to work together on a musical piece like this? 

There is a moment of pure, terrifying silence. 

Via and Jonathan are glued to their seats and have yet to move a muscle, as if one little alteration would set either of the Reds off in a matter of seconds. 

Under the pressure of Blossom's glare and the other two's nervous stares, Brick relents. Slowly, he sits back down in his seat. Blossom knew better than to consider this a win. The cogs in his brain were turning with every passing moment. 

"Just pick a piece, Jonathan." The Red Ruff grits through clenched teeth.

"Uhhh," The cellist looks between the group members. The tension was at an all time high. 

Thankfully, Via takes over the reins. "You know what, I'm all for Tchaikovsky. Blossom? Brick?" 

"No complaints here." Blossom.

"Couldn't care any less." Brick.

"Great." The dark haired girl claps. "Then it's settled. I'll book one of the music rooms for tomorrow and this Friday." 

-UD-

Coach Lee blows his whistle. "Okay, gather around, boys—" The older man pauses and looks over at Buttercup apologetically. "—and Utonium." 

Last Friday they made announcements for the official boys lacrosse team. 

Buttercup's name had been on the list. 

She was extremly pumped. 

That is until she saw Butch Jojo's name right under her own name. 

That stupid bastard...

"Okay, I'll be splitting you guys up! This is just practice, but I want you guys to give it everything you've got. Nothing less than a hundred and—"

"—ten percent." The rest of the team chants back, already quite aware of Coach Lee's signature words of encouragement.

Coach Lee begins to split the team into two groups of ten. There would be three players on defense, three midfielders, three attackers and of course a goalie. This was one of the slight differences from the girls team where there were 12 players per team.

Buttercup was assigned as midfielder. She had a suspicion that her cross country experience influenced Coach Lee's decision as midfielders have to do a lot of running on the field. Buttercup was also quite agile but no less agressive than any of the other players in the game.

"Okay let's get started!"

The two groups positioned themselves onto the field. 

From the other end, Buttercup sees the Green Rowdyruff. From beneath the cage of his helmet, she can see his forest green eyes zoning in on her from across the field. She knows the idiot is trying to intimidate her, but it's going to take a lot more than a glare to affect the Green Powerpuff. 

Never tearing her gaze away from the Rowdyruff, Buttercup turns her stick between her hands, getting into the right stance as she awaits for Coach Lee's whistle. The older man sets down the ball and once he backs up, the whistle sounds and the face off begins. Both players grabble to scoop the ball, helmets butting against one another and sticks pointed into the ground. Buttercup catches sight of the ball as it is thrown back into the other team's possession which sends her running in the direction of its moment.

The guy sprints until he reaches the opposite end, throwing the ball towards of one of their attackers who expertly grabs ahold of the ball until-

**WHACK!**

One of the guys on defense does a poke check with their stick, dislodging the ball from the attacker's grasp before he can get any closer to the borders of the goalie's crease area. 

Without missing a beat, Buttercup scoops the ball and cradles it in her net, sprinting down the field to aid with a transition to one of her team members. 

One of the other guys attemps to slap check her with his stick but she side steps their attack and goes straight for the other team's offense area. To her left, an attacker on her team is clear in the open and Buttercup rotates her shoulder, ready to chuck the ball to him when she feels someone pummel themselves directly into her body, sending the ball right out of her hold.

The body check has her landing on her back, her stick falling above her head in the grass. She leans up on her elbows and grimaces. 

"Oops. Better luck next time." Butch hisses, an evil smirk shining down at her for a fraction of a second before he side steps her outstretched legs and speeds off. 

"Fucking bastard." Buttercup mutters, reaching back to grab ahold of her stick and getting back up on her feet just in time to see the ball back within the other's teams grasp.

Somehow Butch is in the centre of it all, whipping his stick back and sending the ball flying clean into the net. His teammates cheer, slapping him on the shoulder and he grins like hyena, finding her within the crowd. She feels her blood begin to boil.

"Nice one, Jojo!" 

"Keep it up!"

The game continues.

Buttercup runs faster, making a play for the ball that is clear in her sight. She checks an opposing midfielder, not faltering the moment he falls and swoops down to take possesion of the ball before sprinting towards their opponent's side. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see another attacker running for her and she picks up her speed.

To the right, she catches sight of Mike and throws him the ball just in time as Butch goes for another check in the chest. 

This time, they both go down as Butch trips over Buttercup's legs and lands face first into the ground. The Rowdyruff groans from somewhere beside her. 

"Serves you right, fucker." She hisses. 

Unfazed, Butch grins up at her, a look that is too smug etched onto the features of someone who literally just ate grass. "I told you it wasn't over, Butterfingers." 

"Like hell it is." 

See, another perk to playing on the boys team was that there was more contact allowed. It was a real nice change for Buttercup for the fact that she wasn't afraid to get down and dirty for the ball. It was also almost an outlet for all the aggression and tension that was pent up within her body. The game was exciting and every hit was a reminder of just the type of game they were playing. Sure, stick handling and footwork were important, but if you couldn't get with the hits then lacrosse isn't the game for you.

However, she was slowly beginning to lose the little patience she ever had. Seriously, wasn't Butch supposed to be focused on making scores rather than tackling her every chance he got? 

For once, when Butch grabs ahold of the ball, he actually makes a run for the goalie's net.

"Not this time, you asshat." Buttercup grumbles, her muscles pushing to pick up the pace. He looks ready to take the shot until Buttercup comes barreling at him with the speed of a rocket. She shoulders the taller Ruff straight on, sending him rolling back into the grass, the ball flying way over his head.

"Yes, Buttercup!" She hears Mike yell from somewhere on the field.

She doesn't miss a beat, scooping up the lost ball and tossing it to another open midfielder. As she runs past Butch she can't help but feel lighter than she ever has since she first stepped onto the field. That tackle really was a remedy to her pent up fustration towards the Green Ruff.

The game began to get gritter and gritter between the two teams. Particularly between the two Greens.

Every tackle became less calculated and ten times more aggresive. At this point, Butch was always the first to check her whenever the ball was in her hold. He had it out for her, but it only pushed Buttercup to play harder and smarter. This didn't seem to annoy Butch. If anything, it motivated him. It was as if they were feeding off each other's attacks.

Buttercup's team was down by one point and this had Coach Lee screaming with all his might. Not once had he ever seen his players compete in such an intense game where they were almost neck and neck. 

An attacker from the other teams attemps to make a shot but the moment doesn't go as planned as the ball is sniped by a member from Buttercup's team. The ball is then thrown far to the left, right in Buttercup's direction.

Her body is practically buzzing as she cradles the ball in her net and sprints for the opposite end of the field, two other players from the opposing team hot on her heels.

She moves with an exhilarating amout of momentum, closing in on the goalie's crease. With her eyes on the prize, Buttercup side steps a burly looking defense player and with her stick ready for the throw, the ball goes flying just in time as Butch comes for a body check.

But it was too late. 

The ball flies at a forceful speed over the goalie's stick and right into the net.

The whistle blows.

Both of the teams had tied.

Buttercup feels multiple hands and sticks thump her shoulder and helmet in congratulations for scoring the tieing move. 

Coach Lee is clapping, his voice barely even hoarse from screaming at his players for the entirety of the game. "Now that is exactly what I call a good play! Great job, people! Now hit the showers, you all reek!" 

As he passes, Mike punches her shoulder. "Good game, Buttercup. I'm real glad we get to have you on the team." 

"Thanks, Captain."

Buttercup snaps her helmet off, allowing the back of her head to feel the cool breeze of the September weather. It's refreshing and much needed after all that running around. 

Most of the guys were heading back to the locker rooms to change, all except one. 

Butch was still standing on the edge of the field, forest green eyes staring straight at her with his helmet under his arm. His clothes were covered in dirt marks and grass stains, much like her own, and even at this distance she could see the sweat layered on his tan skin.

From way over his shoulder, she spots another two familiar faces. Oh shit, his brother came to watch the practice. She wonders how long they've been sitting on those bleachers as they weren't there when the game first begun. 

"Buttercup!"

At the sound of her name, Buttercup turns. She finds her sisters waving at her from the sidelines.

"Holy shit," Buttercup jogs over them just to have them take two giant steps back.

"Sorry." She chuckles when Bubbles crinkles her nose in disgust. She doesn't blame her. She literally stunk of sweat. 

"Were you guys waiting for long?" 

"I got here in time to see you score." Blossom grins.

"I got to witness most of your tackles." Bubbles teases.

Buttercup chuckles again, throwing a look back over her shoulder to Butch's retreating figure. He didn't even bother with the change rooms. Meerly walked over to his brothers, who kept a ten foot pole distance between them, before they shot off into the air.

"Come on," Blossom nods to the sky. "Let's go home. You can shower there." 

"Just fly behind us!" Bubbles jokes and with that, the three sisters take off for the sky together.

-UD-

Butch yanks the fridge open, eyes scanning between the shelves like a hawk on the hunt for it's prey.

He was freshly showered, no longer stinking of sweat after lacrosse practice. It was odd because he should feel drained but if anything, he felt more... relaxed. For once, the game of lacrosse took everything out of him. He had never played against any player with so much rigor and agression to match his own. And to think that it was his counterpart... tch.

He thought back to his team's worries before practice.

"They have Buttercup!" Henry Richardson, a denfense player, whispered in a hurried tone. "How the hell are we supposed to tackle her?" 

"Maybe if we just aim for her stick...?" Another replied hesitantly.

Butch looked between the bozos, increduous at their distress. "You're seriously worried about how you should tackle, Butterfingers?" He had barked out a laugh, not quite believing the words he was hearing. 

Sure, the girl was a ticking time bomb threatening to go off at any given moment but she was also half the size of most of their teammates. It was hard to feel threatened by someone so... small. Point is, Buttercup being a girl didn't make a difference to Butch. An opposing player is an opposing player and he was going to make her life hell on the lacrosse field one way or another. Annoying Buttercup was too much fun. Plus, it brought something interesting and new onto the field.

Boomer passes from behind Butch to open a cupboard. "Pass me a soda?" 

"Your teeth are going to rot with the amount of soda you consume." 

Butch glances back at Brick who has decided to finally leave his hermit-like bedroom and hang out in the livingroom. 

What a pleasant surprise. 

_Not._

Butch grabs two sodas from the fridge, sliding one across the countertop to where Boomer was now eating crackers out of the box.

"We need food." Butch declares. He butts the door to the fridge shut, leaning against it as he pops the tab to his drink.

"Then go buy some." Brick replies dryly, eyes never lifting from the textbook in front of him. 

Seriously, since when did Brick study out in the common area? The man was always holed up in his bedroom like some mad scientist, but instead of building wild contraptions he would be playing that damn viola until nightfall or at least, until they got a noise complaint from their neighbours.

Damn. It was kind of sad that the only noise complaints they ever got were for Brick... and not because he was throwing some wild party or having a girl over, but because he was playing that sad viola of his. 

_Messed up._

Instead of trying to pick a fight with Brick, Butch took a slow sip of his soda. The rim was cold against his lips and the drink was so bubbly and carbonated it made his tongue tingle. 

Boomer watches him, blue eyes turning to slits. "Spit it out." 

This catches Brick's attention. Both brothers stare at Butch expectantly. 

Butch frowns at the two weirdos. What's their problem now? 

"What?" 

"Why are you acting so... weird?" 

"Huh?" Butch was lost. 

Brick nods very slowly. "Boom is right, you've been real quiet since practice. I mean, we watched your ass get beat up by Buttercup Utonium and you haven't said a single word about it." 

"I seriously thought you were going to bitch about it the whole way home." Boomer frowns as if he was finding it odd that Butch hadn't complained or nagged once. 

Butch cranes his neck back in surprise. Were they even at the practice because that is not how he remembers the game going. The fuck were these two talking about? 

"First of all," Butch starts, "Buttercup did not beat me up." 

"She tackled you." Boomer points out.

"Multiple times." Brick supplies unhelpfully.

Butch glares at his brothers. "Yeah, and the last I remember, I body checked her too." 

The Green Ruff couldn't care any less about what they said right now. Instead, he turns to Brick. "So, I hear you're performing for the winter show with Blossom Utonium. How does it feel to have to play with your biggest competitor?" 

"It's no different than orchestra practice." Brick grumbles, flipping a page in his workbook. 

"Sure, but it must killing you to have to share the spotlight with someone as bossy as you. You're both obsessed with having control." 

"I am not bossy nor am I 'obsessed with having control'," Brick snaps. "I just know what I want." He mutters lowly, focus going back to his textbook.

"Sure, sure," Butch takes a long sip of his soda. He pauses, brows furrowed deep in thought of the Pink Powerpuff with the gorgeous figure and flowing hair. "Do you think Blossom is just as bossy and controlling in the sack?" 

There's a sputtering noise of someone chocking on their drink. 

Boomer coughs loudly, wiping away the spilt soda that drips down his chin and onto the kitchen floor. 

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" Boomer asks incredulously.

Off to the side, Brick is glaring at Butch. He looks between his brothers. "What? It was a genuine question! I am almost certain Blossom—"

"Just shut the fuck up." Brick growls. Okayyyy, he looks real angry.

"But—"

"I mean it, Butch! No more talk of the Powerpuffs under this fucking roof." 

Butch cranes his neck back in surprise. Who the hell shat in Brick's cereal bowl this morning? He swears there is a grouchy sixty year old man living in the body of a seventeen year old. 

To be fair, he knows how Brick feels about the Powerpuff Girls. His rivalry with Blossom has lasted over a decade and was quickly approaching two. All because they were created to have different purposes in life. A purpose that the guys rejected. Yet despite that, the two groups were still fueding...

"For fucks sake." Butch grabs his drink, making a beeline for his bedroom. He slams the door shut behind him for dramatic effect and heaves out a sigh.

From the other side of the door, he can make out Brick's muffled voice. 

"Don't bother with the Powerpuff Girls, Boom. Once we graduate, we won't ever have to deal with them or this awful fucking city ever again and all of this will be long behind us for good. Then we'll truly be free to do whatever the hell we want." 

What a fucking hypocrite.

Butch rolls his eyes and settles onto his small bed. It creaks under his weight and the moment he sits down, he wishes he never locked himself in there. He was already bored but having Brick sitting out in the living room didn't seem any better.

He closes his eyes, thinking back to today's practice. The sense of relaxation Butch once felt has evapourated now. He so desperately craved the feeling of running until his limbs ached or the feeling of somebody tackling him head on that it knocks the wind out of him and makes his helmet cage rattle. 

This year was going to be interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3 Much more to come :)


	2. Lets Party Until The Sun Comes Up And Our Trust Goes Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! I hope you guys all enjoy :)

"Soooo, Ace is throwing a party on Friday. Who's going?" 

Blossom stops mid-conversation with Robin to stare at Mike. 

"Who's Ace?" 

"Uh, the new kid? He's always wearing that blue and orange vest? Rides a motorbike to school like he's in a gang?" Mike looks around the table only to be met with mostly looks of pure confusion. "Is any of this ringing a bell to anyone?" 

"Oh," Bubbles snaps. "I know exactly who you're talking about. He's in my first period art class. He is usually late, but boy can he sculpt." 

"He's also buddies with Mitch. They play video games together or some shit." 

"You think Buttercup might know him?" Robin asks.

"It's possible..." Bubbles murmurs, looking over at where Buttercup was standing in line for food with Mitch, her long time friend since kindergarten.

Mitch was animatedly babbling on about something while Buttercup rolls her eyes with a slight shake of her head in disagreement. They were probably debating about something trivial. Honestly, the amount of times those two get into a debate in a day was truly tiresome. 

From across the cafeteria, Buttercup catches Blossom's eye. She arches an eyebrow, silently asking if she needed to join them. Blossom gives a slight shake of her head and the raven haired Puff goes back to disagreeing with Mitch at full force. 

"So, we going or not?" Mike pushes. 

"Let's do it!" 

"I'm down." Bubbles chirps and Robin leans over to give her a high five. 

Now all stares redirect to Blossom. Well this was quite uncomfortable. 

The Pink Puff stares back, unsure of what they wanted her to say. 

"Can I help you...?" 

"Oh, don't act like that." Robin nudges her gently. "You know you wannaaa." 

Blossom sighs. Robin couldn't be more wrong. 

"Come on, it's the first party of the year! Senior year, at that!" 

"It would be a shame not to go, Bloss. Plus, if Buttercup is going then that means you'll have to go anyway." 

Blossom relents a little at that. Bubbles wasn't wrong. "Well, until Buttercup confirms—"

"Let me ask," Bubbles is out of her seat before Blossom can interject, speeding off with a trail of blue behind her. She's back in seconds, giving the group a thumbs up.

"Buttercup says she's down." 

Robin squeals, shaking Blossom's shoulder in excitement. "Then it's all set! We are going to a party!"

Thankfully, the bell rings, signalling the end to lunch and a five minute period to get to class. On her way to Biology, Blossom spots Boomer and Butch talking outside of the classroom. This wasn't an unusual sight as she and the Blue Ruff happened to share their third period class together.

Blossom approaches, fully prepared to ignore the Ruffs by the doorway, but of course Butch has other plans.

He leans against the frame, arms crossed over his chest, and an attentive expression etched onto his features. "Sup, Gorgeous? Whadya say we spend a little one-on-one time after school? I was thinking—"

She barely looks in his direction. "Shove a sock in it, Butch." 

That phrase was quite out of character for Blossom Utonium, however, Buttercup made Blossom promise that she would say that the next time Butch tried to approach her. The flabbergasted reaction she got in response was well worth it. 

From behind her, Boomer bursts into a fit of laughter. "Bro, it's never going to happen. Why embarrass yourself like that?" 

Butch blinks before his brain seems to rewire. "Hey! It will happen! She can't resist me forever, that goes against the laws of the Universe!" 

The other brother snorts. "Yeah, keep hitting on her and the laws of justice will come after you once she gets a restraining order against you." 

Blossom trails over to her usual seat, perching herself up on the stool. She can hear Boomer and Butch continuing to bicker until the bell rings. Butch speeds off to class in a flash of green while Boomer causually strolls into the room, taking his seat.

Biology goes by quickly and before Blossom knows it, she's sitting in Music class and then going to the quartet's first official practice session. 

To be honest, Blossom was not sure what to expect. Wednesday was somewhat of a mess in iteself and the group hadn't even started playing together yet. 

It wasn't that Blossom didn't trust the groups skills. It was actally quite the opposite. All four musicians were very capable, but it seems that their issues lie within their egos instead. Particularly within the ego of their snarky violist who only felt the need to speak up when he wanted to disagree with all three of the other members. 

On Friday afternoon, all 4 members of the quartet were in one of the practice rooms. It was a little small, but it did the trick. The group had set up their chairs so they were sitting around in a semi circle, a stand in front of each of them. To Blossom's left, Via was applying a little more rosin to her violin bow with Johnathan who was to the left of the second violinist, taking a sip of water. That left Brick directly across from Blossom. He sat quietly, readjusting the fine tuners on his viola. She peels her eyes away before he could glare back at her from over their stands. 

"Ugh, how do my fingers already hurt from plucking? We've barely even reached the hour mark." Via pouts, flexing her digits. 

Blossom rubbed the pads of her own fingers, feeling the familiar feeling of the strings indents on her skin. She didn't blame Via, her fingers were also getting agittated, but they would have to get used to it. 

Jonathan makes a noise in agreement before nodding at the group. "Should we take it from the top?" 

A chorus of responses are heard as each member takes their starting positions and Blossom counts them into the Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy by Tchaikovsky. They pluck their instrument strings accordingly, the sound of the cello's vibrato belting through in contrast at certain notes. 

The viola's bow hits the string next, joining the cello and Blossom mentally readies herself for her own bow and Via's to join their members when a very loud bang of the door coming into contact with the wall cuts in.

"Ack!" Via's bow goes off, an unpleasent note assaulting their eardrums. The members all cringe in response. 

Bubbles is standing in the doorway, eyes wide. "Sorry!" She squeaks, blue eyes settling on her sister. 

"I hate to interupt, but you have to come right now." The Blue Puff turns her attention apologetically towards the group. "Duty calls." 

"Of course," Brick rolls his eyes, his viola coming down to rest on his lap. "Do these villains seriously have nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon?" 

Blossom ignores him and packs her case at the speed of light. Off to the side, Bubbles shakes her head. "You know what they say, there is no rest for the wicked, Brick." 

_He of all people should know that,_ Blossom thinks to herself, flying out of her seat to join her sister in the doorway. 

As if he could sense her thoughts, Brick narrows his eyes onto the Pink Puff which she outright ignores. "I'm so sorry, we can reschedule for some other time." She quickly says and is relieved when Jonathan and Via wave her off with ease.

The girls don't waste another second, flying out the school doors and into the open. 

"Where's Buttercup?" 

"Already on the scene!" 

A flash of a green laser beam in the near-distance affirms the location of the other Powerpuff. 

"Duck!" Blossom screams suddenly. A flying tree barely skims the top of her head. Blossom has little to no time to acknowledge what just happened when she spots the wielder of the tall plant. 

"I see you!" An ugly voice bellows, his voice gurgling at the back of his throat as if it was talking through a mouth full of water. 

A giant grey blob of God-knows-what was slowly trailing down the streets of Townsville, engulfing whatever happens to be in it's path. Stop signs, cars, street lights, bushes, and just about anything else that you find on a street or a sidewalk with a mixture of other odd objects floating around in what would be it's stomach. It was unlike anything she has ever fought before. The monster looked like something out of an animated film.

"What is that?!" Bubbles zips over to Blossom's side, thankfully unharmed from the flying tree.

Her question is left unanswered when a post lamp comes speeding at them in the sky. 

The girls split just in time, avoiding what would have been a pummeling hit to the stomach. 

"About time!" Buttercup comes into the sight. To Blossom's horror, she was covered in the same grey gooey substance of the monster. It was all in her hair and dripping down her limbs. There was an odd stench that Blossom couldn't quite put her finger on. If she had to guess, it would be a mixture between sweaty gym socks and skunk. 

"My goodness, what happened?!"

"Lets just say this goob tried to run me over." Buttercup rolls her eyes, already over the situation. "He gets bigger with everything he consumes, but he's slow as hell. Kind of pathetic if you ask me." She scoffs. 

"Hey!" The glob monster shouts, clearly offended. "I heard that you little punk!"

Angered, it shoots out a giant tow truck, but he clearly doesn't realize who he is dealing with. Pissed off and covered in smelly goo, Buttercup pushes back with her super strength, halting the truck in its tracks before swinging it back in the opposite direction at an inhumane speed.

"Back to sender you go!" 

The truck slices through the air and cuts right through the glob monster. The top half of his body slides off in a giant diagonal lump, splattering onto the asphalt like an ice cream scoop that has slipped off it's cone. 

Bubbles gasps. "Buttercup, that was amazing!" 

"Don't get excited now," The Green Puff huffs. "The bastard just regroups each time." 

She was right. Slowly but surely, the grey goop on the ground begins to bubble and gurgle, sloshing back to the giant blob that made up the rest of the monster's body. Even it's humongous eyeballs had found their way thanks to the gelatin eyesockets that rolled them back to the body. 

Huh.

Well that couldn't be good.

"What if we used our lasers?" Blossom dodges another object that was aimed specifically for her head. Surely they would be able to disintegrate the glob with their lasers? 

"They work but they aren't enough. We would have to burn him inch by inch but as long as he is moving, he keeps growing." 

"What if we—" Blossom catches a stop sign by the pole and throws it back like a dart. It strikes the monster in an eyeball and he gurgles up an ugly howl of pain. A light bulb goes off in her mind. His eyes were his weak points. If they dealt with those first, they would probably be able to deal with the rest of him. 

"We need to get in closer! We'll use our lasers to rid him off his sight and then work on lasering away the rest of him. Without his sight, he'll have trouble finding things to swallow. With the three pairs of laser beams, this could work!" 

"Make that four." 

The new voice has Blossom whipping her head so fast to the side she is surprised she didn't give herself whiplash.

Bubbles freezes in the air, eyes wide and full of pure confusion. _"Boomer?"_

In the moment of distraction, a giant bush knocks into Bubbles and sends her soaring through the sky. She flys back, looking unbothered and thankfully unscathered except for a few leaves that have found their way into her hair. Her long pigtails were now out of order and a little messy but that was the least of everyone's problems right now.

"Boomer, what are you doing here?" Blossom questions, one skeptical eyebrow raised at the Rowdyruff. 

Sure, the Powerpuff Girls and the Rowdyruff Boys had some sort of truce between them ever since the boys got their emancipation from Mojo Jojo, however, that didn't necessarily mean the two groups were on the best of terms. At first, Blossom had been more on edge, waiting for some sort of attack, one that would say that the legal emancipation was part of some sort of plot to distract the girls before the Rowdyruffs and Mojo Jojo unleashed their real attack.

But that never happened. 

Seven years later, the boys had kept their word. They had strayed from the villainous path that was originally set up for them and apparently never looked back. They kept away from public attacks and disasters, their powers never coming against the Powerpuff Girls in battle ever again. The only "battles" their powers were used for was when Butch and Buttercup were fighting each other.

Despite this, Blossom made sure to keep her guard up. She had many conversations with the Professor and her sisters about the Rowdyruffs. Finally, their father was the one to put her mind at ease and drop the idea that the Rowdyruffs were secretly conspiring with Mojo Jojo. However, Blossom still has many of her walls up. Her mistrust in them ran deeper than her sisters, but Blossom had always reasoned this. It was for the wellbeing of the citizens of Townsville. 

That is why finding Boomer at the crime scene was quite odd. Especially considering that he was offering to help? Not once had the Rowdyruffs ever helped during an attack on the town. 

Blossom scans the area. Boomer's brothers were nowhere to be found. She narrows her eyes at the Blue Rowdyruff. 

"Is this some kind of a joke?" 

Surprised, the Blue Ruff cranes his neck back, brows furrowed in confusion. "Uhh, no?" Another object comes flying and Boomer smoothly strikes the fire hydrant like a baseball with the bat he had conjured.

He glances back at Blossom, blue eyes meeting her straight on. "You still think I'm joking?" 

"Uhhh, I hate to break it to you guys," Buttercup yells, dodging multiple objects that the glob monster had been shooting out one after the other. It seemed like he had gotten more aggitated after Blossom poked his eye. "But we're running out of time!"

This has Blossom snapping her attention back to the issue at hand. "We need to fly in closer! Bubbles, stay lower to the ground so you can keep an eye out for any citizens. We'll stay a little higher than his head and try to keep him distracted with our beams. You just make sure he doesn't swallow anyone up. Seriously, how has that not happened yet?" She mumbles the last bit more-so to herself.

"Actually, about that..."

"No!" Bubbles gasps, her hands coming up to her mouth. "He didn't... did he?" 

Buttercup nods grimly. "It happened to one dude, but he was shot out the second he got trapped in the goo. I caught him though so it's not like anything serious happened!" Buttercup assures the group before anyone could interrogate her any further on the matter.

"Great, now can we get to the real action?" Boomer asks, swinging his bat expectantly. 

All three of the sisters share a look, each of them nodding. As if on cue, they fly down in sync, Blossom and Buttercup flying in front of the glob's face to catch his attention, allowing Bubbles to stay closer to the ground without him noticing.

"There you pesks are!" The glob roars loudly. "Prepare to be destroyed by Globby!" 

Buttercup and Blossom shared a look. They were both less than impressed. 

_"Globby?_ Seriously? That is so lame," Buttercup groans. 

"Hey Globby! You ready to play some ball?" Boomer swoops in, surprising the glob monster for a moment. There seems to be a moment of pause where the glob squints at Boomer, almost as if he is trying to decide if he wants to attack him or not, but before he can make a move, the Blue Ruff hacks his baseball through his head and knocks out the eyeball that Blossom had previously tried to puncture. 

_Well that was odd,_ Blossom thinks to herself. Did Globby just hesistate when he saw the Blue Rowdyruff? 

Globby's howls of pain pull her out of her train of thought. She shakes her head, pushing that bit of into the back of her mind for now. 

"We need to laser his eyes to get rid of his sight! Focus on the eyes first!" Blossom shouts, shooting out her own beams at the eyeball that Boomer knocked out. She is relieved when it begins to burn, cutting off one of his sources of vision. 

"You got it, Chief!"

Globby continues to shout and gurgle in pain, thrasing on the spot as he attempted to shield his other eye. He was making it hard to aim correctly when he kept moving it around his head and body. 

"My eye! My beautiful, beautiful, eye!"

"Oi, they're not that pretty, you asshat!" Boomer shouts, taking another swing at him. 

The monster ignores him, choosing to shoot out another tree at Buttercup instead who was lasering off his other eyeball. He misses instead, his throw going haywire and knocking itself right against Blossom. She goes flying down, her back scraping against the asphalt. 

In seconds, Bubbles snatches her by the arms and pulls her up from the ground before Globby can step on her and suck her into the grey goo with all the other objects he had floating around. 

"You okay?" Bubbles asks, flying skillfully between the monster's wobbling legs. 

"Fine," Blossom winces, trying not to think too much about the fall her back just took, "Thanks for the save, Bubbs." 

"Anytime. I've also searched the area and evacuated any lingering citizens to safety. Should we start lasering the rest of him now, Bloss?" 

As if on cue, a loud splat is heard along with a thundering shriek. The two girls gasp at the melting eyeball that landed two feet away from them. They shared a look before darting back up into the air to join the other two. 

Globby was losing it. If anything, losing his vision made the situation worse because now he was thrashing and shooting out an array of objects at every corner. 

"Look out!" Boomer shouts, pushing Bubbles right out of the way as a giant grey fist came hurling at her. Instead, Globby's fist clenches itself around Boomer who was not so lucky, covering him in goo from the neck down. The Blue Ruff struggles between his tight grasp, kicking and shaking to no avail as the goo works its way up to engulf him completely. 

"Hang on Boomer!" Bubbles was now shooting out blue lasers, attempting to sear off the Globby's arm that continued to swing Boomer around as the monster shouts in a mixture of anger and pain. 

"Globby will destroy you all! Globby will not go down!"

Blossom flew to the back, trying to hit Globby with her lasers from another angle while Buttercup worked on cutting off sections of his head. 

"This isn't working!" The Green Puff yells out in an annoyed tone, "He just keeps reforming!"

Buttercup was right. Even though bits of the grey goo were melting off, their lasers werent enough to sear every bit of the monster at once. Whatever pieces that survived from the beams just slugged their way back to the giant body again.

"We need more heat! Something like gasoline, but matches won't be enough to set fire to Globby!" 

"Wait, I think I know where to get some!" Buttercup shouts, "Be right back!"And before any one could ask where, she jets off to another part of town in a flash of green. 

Right then, Globby's arm detaches from the rest of his body and Bubbles darts down to catch Boomer, who was now heavily covered in goo, in her arms bridal style. 

The Blue Ruff lands straight into her grasp and she flys up to the top of a nearby building where she gingerly sets him back down on his feet. Boomer topples over onto his hands and knees, coughing up chunks of gooey grey substance that had been lodged in his throat. 

He heaves heavily, looking up at his saviour through his eyelashes. "Thank you," He gasps out, his voice hoarse from all the coughing. 

"No problem." Bubbles bites her lip, glancing at Boomer one more time to make sure he would be okay before rushing back to aid Blossom with a very out of control Globby. 

At some point during this mess, Buttercup returns with a giant steel bucket in one hand and a giant barrel in the other.

"Are those—"

"Fireworks!" Buttercup confirms, shoving the barrel of what Blossom could only assume to be gasoline in her arms.

"Buttercup, you amazing, amazing, superbeing!" Bubbles squeals just as Boomer rejoins the group, looking a little more alive after his traumatic experience. 

"You guys light up the fireworks then. I'll wash our buddy down here with this and then once the fireworks go off, everybody needs to take cover and shoot lasers from a distance. Make sure not a single glob can reform." 

"We're on it, Chief."

"Say less, Blossom." 

"Be careful down there, Bloss!"

With that, Blossom ducks to Globby who was still shooting out objects sporadically. She unpeals the top of the huge barrel and begins to shower Globby with Gasoline. He begins to sputter, halting his flying objects in confusion to what was occuring. 

"What are you doing, you punk?" The monster yells, "Globby cannot see! Tell Globby what this is!" 

Just for extra measure, Blossom makes sure to throw some gasoline into his open mouth. The Pink Puff makes sure to cover every inch of grey with gasoline until he is practically bathing in it. 

Discarding the barrel to the side, Blossom flies up to inspect the siutation. On one side, Boomer and Buttercup have lined up fireworks and on the other side, Bubbles has lined up another arrangement of fireworks that were from a safe distance from Globby.

"Ready?" She shouts into the air.

"Let's get this over with." Buttercup grunts back loudly.

Blossom joins Bubbles. On her count, the four of them begin lighting the fireworks at once. With loud whistles and crackles, the fire crackers shoot off at their target and the four of them rise into the sky to put some extra distance as they begin to shoot laser beams at Globby's gasoline covered body.

An explosion of flames and grey goo erupts in the street, splattering and covering just about everything in the closed off area, including the 3 Puffs and the Ruff who were still up in the air. 

Globby lets out an ear-piercing screech, but it gets swallowed somewhere in the explosion of more fireworks.

Blossom winces, but doesn't stop shooting her laser beams. 

They laser just about every grey glob they could spot, sizzling them to unmoving goo, until they were sure that Globby would not magically reform on the spot.

By the end of it, all four of the teenagers were covered in the smelly grey goo. 

"Gross," Buttercup grumbles, flinging off the slippery gunk that was clinging to her arms. 

Blossom lets out a big sigh. They did it. Globby was destroyed. However, the aftermath of their battle was unpleasant. The street and the nearby buildings were an absolute mess. She felt bad for the infrastuctures that got caught in the crossfire. 

"I can't believe we had to deal with a goo monster the night of our first Senior party." Bubbles pouts, throwing out chunks of slime from her blonde locks. 

"You guys are going to Ace's party?" Boomer shakes his head out rapidly where grey goo flys out from between his hair, splashing right onto Buttercup's chest. She growls and Boomer instantly halts his movements, raising his hands in surrender. 

"Only if we can get cleaned up on time." 

"Oh no, Chief, you are not getting out of this social event so easily." 

"She's right, there's nothing a shower can't fix." 

"You not a party person, Blossom?" Boomer inquires curiously.

"Pfftt, have you met Blossom?" Buttercup snorts. "It's like she's allergic to them or some shit." 

Boomer frowns as if he couldn't understand this at all. "Really? Damn. I thought everyone loved parties." 

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong." 

"Hm," He hums. "My bad. It's just that even Brick doesn't mind a party every now and then and Brick hates everything and anything." 

Blossom stops swiping off goo.

"Is Brick also going to this party?" 

_Please say no, please say no, please—_

"Yeah, how come?" 

_Ugh._

Blossom groans, very much displeased. Bubbles laughs lightly, nudging her shoulder. 

"Don't worry so much, Bloss. Tonight's battle has already been won. It's time to enjoy ourselves."

-UD-

"Took you fucking long enough— _woah,_ what the fuck happened to you?" 

Boomer sighs, closing the door shut behind him with his foot. 

"It's a long story." 

Butch pinches his nose so his voice comes out funny and high pitched. "Dude, you reek." 

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

"Brick is going to kill you if that shit ends up staining the floor." 

"I'll deal with it." Broomer grumbles, trudging past his brother who was lounging on the couch, his feet kicked up on the coffee table because Brick wasn't there to tell him off.

Boomer makes his way to the cramped bathroom, shutting the door behind him and allows the water of the shower to warm up. He takes a hard look at himself in the mirror, taking in the absolute mess that Globby made out of him and what was once a perfectly styled haircut. 

And then he remembers diving in the way to push Bubbles away from the monster's angry fist and the moment Bubbles dived down to catch him and bring him back up to safety. 

Totally worth it.

-UD-

"Bubbles, hurry up!" Buttercup pounds on the bathroom door, signalling to her sister that she was overstaying her time in there.

A couple hours later, the girls were back home and showered, feeling extra fresh and clean after their battle. Now they were getting ready for the party which they were probably going to be late to.

The door _finally_ swings open. Bubbles is standing in front of the mirror with her curling iron in hand. 

"Just come in while I do my hair!"

"No," Buttercup growls, snatching her sister's wrist, skillfully dismantling the wand from her hand before slamming the door shut in her face. She refused to pee while someone else was in the bathroom, even if it was her own sister. 

She could sense Bubbles pouting from the other side of the door. 

"Just go bug Blossom or something while you wait. I don't think she has an outfit picked out yet." 

"Ooo, good idea, Buttercup!"

-UD- 

Boomer sniffs the air. "Are you wearing cologne?" 

Butch stops messing with the few front strands of his gelled hair. "Uh, yeah?" 

The fuck was up with this kid now? 

Boomer hums, patting in some aftershave around his jaw. Butch wasn't even sure if Boomer could grow facial hair. 

Boomer couldn't even grow hair on his di—

"Nothing, I just didn't even think you owned cologne, stinky." 

"Oh, fuck off."

There was a moment of silence between the brothers.

"Okay, fine, it's Bricks." 

"Fucking knew it." 

"Don't say anything or else he's going to throw a sissy fit." 

"He doesn't need to say anything." A low voice drawls from behind them.

To Butch's horror, his gaze snaps up to make eye contact with Brick through the mirror.

He spins on the spot, trying to figure out the best way to disarm his brother. 

"Hey, Brick, my man, you look great. I bet you smell great too!"

Brick doesn't crack a smile. He doesn't even blink. He just keeps glaring at Butch with that stone-cold look in his eyes.

"That cologne is expensive. You better not have drowned yourself in it." Brick finally mutters.

Butch lets out a breath of relief. So Brick _wasn't_ going to kick his ass into next week. Great, awesome, fucking fantastic. 

-UD- 

"I don't know how I feel about this." 

Bubbles tilts her head to the side. "What do you mean? You look so cute!" 

Blossom glances down at the getup that Bubbles picked out for her. It wasn't that it was ugly or anything, Bubbles was great at coordinating outfits. She just didn't feel comfortable in it. It wasn't like herself. The only part of this outfit that felt right to her was the bow in her hair.

Bubbles taps a dainty finger against her chin before she snaps her fingers. "Maybe we should switch out the wedges for a pair of strappy sandals!" 

"I say throw the whole outfit away," Buttercup snorts from in front of the body-length mirror where she was sitting cross legged, applying some eyeliner. "She's clearly uncomfortable." 

Bubbles gasps, turning to look at her sister and inspect her. "What? She's not uncomfortable..." The blonde trails off, taking in Blossom's awkward stance and stiff shoulders. 

"Okay, maybe Bloss isn't feeling this outfit so much." 

Blossom glances at the time displayed on the lamp sitting on her bedside table that also had a small digital clock on the front. For once in her life, she wasn't worrying about being on time. If anything, she thanked the stars above for any delays that would set them back from going to this party. 

She eyes the skirt and the casual top she had laid out on her bed. "I think I'm going to wear what I originally picked out." 

"Smart choice, Chief." 

-UD-

So apparently Ace lived in a mansion. 

The house was at the very end of a street that was known for their expensive properities and extravagant gardens that had things like basektball courts, tennis courts, any kind of court really. 

There were so many windows, Buttercup lost count. She wondered how many bedrooms were inside and what the hell Ace's parents did for a living to afford this place. 

"Are we going to stand out here and admire Ace's crib all night long or are we actually going to head inside?" 

Buttercup seems to break the daze that has fallen over her sisters. Bubbles is the first to pick up the pace, already walking towards the steps that go up to the large double doors of the house. A few of their peers were mingling outside on the steps, cups in their hands which they would take occasional sips from.

Buttercup goes to follow Bubbles when she notices Blossom hanging back. 

"You good, Chief?"

"Fine," Blossom mumbles, finally getting her legs to move from the spot she had been glued to. "Let's just get this night over with." 

The party was in full swing.

The place was littered with people from their highschool and tons of other people that Buttercup could not put names to.

She whistles lowly and glances to her right. "How you holding up?" 

Blossom just sighs.

Leaning against the fancy-looking banister of the staircase, Mike spots the three sisters. "Jeez, look who finally made it!" 

Next to him, Mitch nods at the girls and the two move through the crowd to reach them. 

"Sorry for the delay, we had to deal with the aftermath of the fight." Bubbles sighs.

"I heard, my dad's workplace we're evacuated early because of it, but I'm sure that battle is the last thing you guys want to talk about." Mike smirks, nodding his head to the back. "Kitchen is this way if anyone wants a drink." 

"Oh, yes, _please."_ Buttercup groans and Mike grins, throwing an arm around her to lead her in the right direction. 

The kitchen is even more packed than the foyer, the smell of sweat, alcohol and different brands of perfume lingering in the air. Mike is quick to pull out a few beers from a giant bucket full of ice and an array of alcoholic beverages. Damn, was Ace really going this far out for a stupid highschool party? 

"Guys, where's Robin?" 

"Oh, she's probably still dancing in the lounge. Want me to take you to her?" Mitch asks.

"Yes please." Blossom smiles and Bubbles practically lights up. 

"Yes, let's go dance!"

The three set out in the direction of the pounding music in search for Robin. Mike pops off the top of two beers, handing one to Buttercup. She originally hadn't been planning on drinking, but after the day Buttercup's had she thinks she earned herself one drink. Plus, it's not like Buttercup came here to get plastered or black-out-drunk. A drink or two allowed her to feel a buzz which makes stuff like this a little more tolerable.

The two clink their bottles with a loud "cheers" before taking a sip. 

"Nice, right? Come on, we should go find the others now before we lose them for good. This place is ginormousss." 

"Sounds good." Buttercup replies, following Mike into the mass of dancing people.

It takes some time, but eventually they find the rest of their friends. Robin squeals, excited to have her boyfriend back and see her other friend. She flings an arm around Buttercup's neck, giving it an affectionate squeeze. 

"There ya are!"

"Wow, someone's having fun." 

Mitch rolls his eyes. "She hasn't even had a drop of alcohol." 

"Sorry," Robin smiles apologetically, unwrapping her arm. "I'm just so excited for tonight. I can't remember the last time we were all at a party together." 

"I can," Bubbles giggles, "It was Princess' eighth grade birthday bash."

"Oh yeah," Mike snaps. "That was the year Bubbles got her a pet cobra for her birthday and she totally flipped!" 

Buttercup chuckles, recalling that memory quite vividly. Princess' mom had forced her daughter to invite all three of the girls to her big birthday bash which made Princess quite unhappy, to say the least. Bubbles insisted she had an idea for the perfect gift after over hearing something about Princess wanting a reptile. It turns out the curly headed girl meant a hangbag made out of reptile skin, not an actual reptialian for a pet. Thirteen year old Princess had lost her mind, shrieking and crying at the sight of the snake. That poor, sweet, innocent snake.

After that, the girls were never invited to another Princess Morbucks birthday bash. Not that they minded. After that incident though, their availability for parties lessened. Blossom didn't like big crowds to begin with, but their hectic schedules and on-the-hour duties usually got in the way for the most part. 

"Speak of the she-devil." Mitch grimaces.

And there Princess Morbucks was, standing by the entry way with two of her cronies, Jillian and Quinn, scanning the room in search of something, or rather someone. Buttercup had a pretty good idea of who she was looking for. 

As if on cue, that special someone strolls into the house. Brick, Butch, and Boomer Jojo appear at the doorway, scoping out the area. Brick nods to the direction of the kitchen and Boomer follows. Surprisingly, Butch doesn't make a head start for alcohol. Instead, he starts to make his way over to the lounge.

"Oh, cool, Butch is here." 

Buttercup's head snaps to the side to send daggers at Mike. His eyes widen. 

"What? He's on the lacrosse team, Buttercup! Plus, he's not so bad when he isn't acting like a dick." 

She rolls her eyes. "But he acts like a dick _all_ the time." 

"Maybe around you." 

She shakes her head, refusing to believe the traitor in front of her. 

"I'm going to find a bathroom." Buttercup mumbles to the group, trying to find a way out before Butch could get to them. She wasn't going to let that dickwad ruin what was supposed to be a fun night.

"Want me to come with you?" 

Buttercup waves Blossom off. "Nah, I'll be fine. Text me if anything happens and please, for the love of everything good in this world, try to have some fun, Blossom." 

With that, Buttercup slips through the crowd in search for a bathroom or something cool. Literally anything would suffice right now. 

Ace's house was really something. Chandeliers and expensive looking vases and artwork adorned the entire house. There wasn't one wall empty of some sort of painting or a sculpture of a half naked person posing. 

The place was basically the worst setting for a party with a bunch of drunk and stupid teenagers. 

The search for a bathroom was abandoned as she walked deeper and deeper into the house, furthering away from the life buzzing within the mansion. 

Somehow Buttercup ended up in one of the rooms. The door was open so she thought it wouldn't hurt to take a peak. 

It was a wine cellar.

Every square inch of those were walls were decked out with wine bottles. Buttercup couldn't fathom how someone would need this much alcohol.

"Nosy one, aren't you?" 

Buttercup almost shrieks.

Suddenly, she's turning to come face to face with a tall guy leaning against the dark counter top to the right of the room. 

_Shit, how long has he been standing there?_ And how the hell did Buttercup not notice him in the first place? 

For once, Ace wasn't wearing his signature orange and blue vest. Buttercup could not decide if it was a relief to know he owned other jackets or if it was just plain weird now. _Probably both,_ she thinks to herself. 

"The door was open." Buttercup replies as if that was a justifiable excuse to be snooping around a stranger's house. Not that she had been intentionally snooping...

Ace cocks his head to the side, eyeing her for a moment. Buttercup takes notice of the heavy-looking glass in his hand. Some brown liquid was sloshing around in there and she frowns.

Was this guy seriously hanging out alone in a wine cellar at his own party? 

Jeez, who was this kid? 

"Do you always do this at parties?" 

"Do you always sit in your lonesome at your own parties like some creep?" Buttercup bites back.

Okay, maybe she was going a little too far, but he startled the crap out of her. Her throat felt unbearably dry, but she felt a little hesitant to take a sip from her beer when the dual host and beverage provider of this party was having was eyeing her like he was trying to decide if he wanted to call the cops on her or not.

Ace lets out a deep chuckle. "Fair enough." 

He pushes away from the counter, discarding his unfinished drink, and runs a hand through his sleek black hair. 

"Want a refill?" He nods at her own drink.

"I'm okay," She replies. Ace looks unconvinced. "I want to finish this one off." 

"Okay," He reaches down to pull out another glass and refills it with a fresh drink that Buttercup would guess to be some kind of whiskey or brandy. "Suit yourself." 

There was an awkward moment of silence. 

"Aren't wine cellars supposed to be in the basement?" Buttercup finds herself thinking outloud.

"We have a great climate control system." 

"Ah." 

"You sure you don't want a new drink?" 

"I'm sure." She replies firmly and Ace lifts his hands in mock surrender. 

"My bad, Sweetheart." 

"Don't call me that." The reponse rolls off her tongue automatically. Buttercup is reminded of the few times Butch has mockingly called her by that nickname, grossing her out each time. 

Ace chuckles. "Okay, no nicknames, I got it. Hey, you're Mitch's friend, right?" 

"Yeah." She sighs, "And apparently you are too?" 

The ends of his lips quirk up, a single dark eyebrow raising. "Is that really so surprsing?" 

Buttercup scoffs, "Yeah, Mitch is a total geek and you..." She squints at him, trying to decide what would be the best adjective to describe the guy in front of her.

"...aren't." She stupidly finishes. 

Ace clicks his tongue. "I'm taking that as a compliment." 

"Yeah, whatever." Buttercup goes silent again after that. 

The silence isn't so awkward this time, if anything, Buttercup welcomes it. However, there is a question nagging at her. 

"So, what's your deal?" 

"I should be asking you the same thing." Ace retorts.

Buttercup wants to cross her arms over her chest, but she's still holding her beer that has gone lukewarm now.

"I mean," She gestures to the space around them with her hands, "All of this." 

Ace looks more amused than Buttercup would like. "All of this?" He echoes back, almost smiling. 

She was starting to get real annoyed by his mannerisms. "I'm talking about you throwing a huge party for a bunch of people you probably don't even know by name in a house full of artwork and expensive looking crystals and shit and also supplying a shit ton of alcohol that you couldn't have gotten on your own because you're underage—"

"True." Ace smirks.

"—and letting all these strangers drink your parent's booze 'til they're out of their minds drunk? So yeah, I'm kinda wondering what the hell your deal is. Unless this is your way of getting mommy and daddy's attention." 

The last part wasn't really meant to be heard by Ace, but of course Buttercup couldn't keep her mouth shut. 

She is expecting him to lash out at her, maybe cuss her out and then kick her out of his house, but instead Ace just laughs. 

"I knew you'd understand, Sweetheart." 

"Don't fucking call me that." She snaps.

"Relax," Ace laughs again and Buttercup has to stop herself from grinding her teeth down. "This is a party. You shouldn't stress so much." 

At that, Buttercup instantly feels her body go still. 

_Was she stressing out?_

Damn, she hadn't even realized. 

This was so unlike her. Of all the people that would be stressing about rules and precautions, she was the last person that came to mind. Hell, this was a Blossom thing. 

"I'm just concerned about safety." She grumbles, allowing her sour mood to dissipate.

Ace puts down his glass and leans his head forward like he's going to share a secret. "Well, I promise to take good care of everyone. No need to be so concerned...?" 

"Buttercup." 

"Buttercup." He finishes. Ace nods at the exit. "Want to join the crowd now?" 

"Yeah, sure." 

Buttercup follows Ace of the wine cellar which he locks up. Instead of heading back to the foyer, Ace nods to a sliding door off to the side. Out of thin air, he's conjured a thick cuban cigar between his fingers. That also probably came from a stash that belonged to his parents, no doubt.

"You smoke, Sweetheart?" 

"That is not my name." 

"Sorry. You smoke, Buttercup?" 

"No." Buttercup's tone is firm.

"Damn. So I guess you won't be joining me outside for a smoke?" 

She has to hold herself back from rolling her eyes. "You guessed correctly, Sherlock." 

"Not even Marijuana? Cause we've got that too." He smirks. 

Buttercup's phone pings with an incoming text. She ignores Ace's question that continues to hang in the air.

**From Chief:**

_Come upstairs if you're bored, they want to play a game._

"Seems like I've been summoned for a party game." 

"Bummer," Ace sighs. "Next time then?" 

Buttercup is already making her way back to the main hallway. "Don't count on it, Spade." 

She hears a deep chuckle from behind her. "It's Ace." 

-UD-

Butch has never smoked a cuban cigar before, but hey, there's a first time for everything.

He inhales deeply, snorting when Mike breaks out into a fit of coughs right next to him.

"Dude."

Mike wheezes. "That shit is _strong."_

A few guys from the group chuckle. "You'll get used to it, Believe."

From inside, the sliding door opens. Ace steps out into the light, not before Butch and the guys catch sight of Buttercup leaving.

His brows furrow together. What was Butterfingers doing with Ace? 

"Did I just see you and Buttercup talking?" Mitch asks the question on everyone's mind.

Ace lights up his cigar. He takes a drag, talking around the cigar. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Nothing." Mitch chuckles. "Just surprised, that's all."

"She called you a geek."

Mitch almost drops his cigar. "Fucking Buttercup doesn't know what she's talking about."

Butch cackles obnoxiously loud. "Nah man, I think she has you all figured out."

For once in his life, Butch has to agree with Buttercup. Mitch was a total fucking geek, even when he's smoking a big-ass cuban cigar.

"She seems to have me all figured out, too."

All the guys go uncharacteristically quiet.

"Man, the fuck are you talking about?"

Ace leans against the wall as he examines his cigar thoughtfully like some kind of fucking detective. Butch has known this kid for only a few minutes and already thinks he's a weirdo. _A weirdo with expensive-ass cuban cigars and enough alcohol to fill this big-ass house._

"Dude, she's not going to sleep with you."

This earns a chorous of laughter from the rest of the guys, even Butch. Mitch wasn't wrong about that. Buttercup was so uptight, she's probably never even had the taste of getting laid to know what she was missing out on.

Not that Butch has had a taste yet... he's working on it, okay?

Anyway, Butch didn't give two shits about Buttercup's sex life.

"Yeah? Says who?"

Something in Ace has shifted. He looks amused but there was an obvious challenge behind his tone. Butch narrows his eyes over the lanky guy. For once he didn't have his sunglasses which was kind of shocking because Butch thought this kid was the douchebag type to wear sunglasses in the dark.

"Look," Mike starts. "Buttercup is cool and all, but if you're trying to tap and dip then you might as well give up now."

Someone else from the group, a small guy Butch didn't recognize, puts in his unwanted opinion. "Where's the fun in that?"

"I think Ace could pull her. Even if it was just a date." A really big and stocky looking guy shrugs.

Butch couldn't hold back the laugh that falls past his own lips. "Again, you might as well give up now."

For as long as Butch has known Buttercup, he had never witnessed a guy sucessfully approach her. Yes, there had been some attempts, some dweebs stuttering and barely getting out a coherent sentence the second they came face to face with Buttercup which was hilarious for Butch and a newfound source of entertainment. But even the ones that didn't speak gibberish to her face got straight-up rejected.

Not that Buch _cared_ as to why. It was something he had just noticed over the years he and Buttercup were forced to endure at the same highschool. 

"Enough of this," Mitch taps Mike's shoulder. "You ready to bounce? I want to find the others." 

Mike puts out his cigar. "Sounds good, I want to find Robin, too." He glances back at Butch. "You wanna come?"

"Nah, I'm gonna chill out here."

"Okay, see you on the field, man." And the two go through the sliding door.

"Who wants to make a bet?" The short guy asks the group.

The big guy claps. "Ooh, good idea, Arturo! Let's bet on how long it'll take for Ace to get a date with that girl."

Butch chokes on the smoke he just inhaled. He heaves, thumping his chest with one fist.

_What the hell?_

They want to make a bet on _Buttercup?_ The fuck was wrong with these guys? 

He discards the cigar into the giant ceramic ashtray that was set outside. Fuck this shit, Butch didn't want to spend another second with these guys. Don't get him wrong, Butch was all for making bets, but they were never that serious. They were just over stupid shit, like hey, I bet I can chug that cola down and eat all twelve of these donuts in 30 seconds, that kind of dumb shit.

Not betting on some girl. Buttercup, at that.

"I bet you'd get a date with her in two weeks, top." 

Butch scoffs at that. Boy were these doofuses wrong.

"Ignore him, Ace." The snarky one, Arturo as the big one had called him, says.

Ace sucks his teeth. "No, he's got a point."

"Fine, in a month." Arturo relents hesitantly.

"Good fucking luck with that." Butch sarcastically mutters, reaching for the sliding door. Like he said before, _fucking doofuses._

"You really leaving me hanging on this bet?"

Butch halts in the doorway.

"What?"

Ace puts out his own cigar, egging Butch on. "Come on, don't be like that, man. Make a bet with me."

"Yeah, Butch! Make a bet with Ace!" 

Butch's eyes narrow. He decides to pull on Ace's bait out of what he could only label as genuine curiousity. "What's in it for me?"

Ace pulls out a giant wad of cash from his jacket. _Well fuck me,_ Butch thinks to himself. 

"No thanks." Is what Butch says instead. 

"Oh, I see." Ace chuckles from behind him. "You don't think you can do it."

Now _this_ has Butch turning on his heels to glare at the annoying, lanky asshole. 

"Ohhh, you hear that, Big Billy?" Arturo snickers, "He can't get a date!"

This Arturo kid was really starting to get on Butch's nerves. He's surprised he hasn't put a punch to his jaw yet.

"I can get a date," Butch growls. Hell, Butch doesn't think, he _knows_ he can get a date with any girl. 

Except for maybe Blossom, but that was a work in progress.

"Then let's make a bet," Ace steps closer. "We each get until the end of the year. Whoever goes out with Buttercup first, wins. Sounds like a deal?"

Butch knows he really shoud have said no.

But Butch also really wants to wipe that smug look off of the asshole's face because fuck that guy and his cuban cigars. He knows Ace will lose anyway. Buttercup won't go out with just anybody. If anything, he'd be doing Ace a favour by knocking his ego down a notch.

"It's on, asshole."

Butch doesn't bother to shake Ace's hand. He just leaves Ace and his weird-ass friends behind in a cloud of cigar smoke. 

-UD- 

Bubbles waves at Buttercup when she peaks into the giant room. 

"Hey, you finally came back to us! I was starting to think you had ditched us for good." She pouts.

"Nah," Is all Buttercup says, not giving any other indication to her previous whereabouts.

"What are we playing?" Robin asks the group as Buttercup settles between Robin and a bored looking Blossom. 

They were currently sitting in a circle with a few other people from their grade. The circle was small enough consisting of twelve teenagers sitting close until their knees were touching. One of the guys, Ryan Choi who also happens to be the captain of the swim team, sets an empty beer bottle in the centre.

"7 minutes in heaven of course." 

"Seriously?" 

"You have any better ideas, Buttercup?"

"Nah man, I'm way past eighth grade." 

Bubbles glances across the room nervously. Across from her, Boomer was already watching her. He lifts his bottle of beer up to his lips, taking a slow drink as he continues to watch her with his pretty blue eyes.

She felt her insides warm up. What if the bottled landed on one of them during their turns? 

"I'm going to the bathroom." Blossom randomly blurts. She's stalking out the room before Bubbles can even interject.

Suddenly, Ryan slides into the empty space next to Bubbles. 

"Hey, Bubbles." 

"Hi, Ryan." 

"Say, you should definitely come to one of my swim meets. I'm the captain of the boys swim team this year so I'm pretty stoked." 

Bubbles knew this piece of detail because Boomer also happened to be on the highschool's swim team.

"Ryan, quit flirting with Bubbles and let us start the game, man!"

A chorus of chuckles ring around the room, but Bubbles isn't laughing. She also doesn't miss the way Boomer's head snaps up.

His eyes narrow in on Ryan and then slowly find their way to Bubbles. She stays put but tries to will him to relax through her eyes. 

Boomer seems to get her message because he relaxes a little, but not entirely. Shoot, Bubbles would have to try to find some time during the party to talk to him. Hopefully he isn't too upset...?

To be honest, she was still a little on edge from today's earlier events. She hadn't expected Boomer to come in the middle of their battle and offer his help. Yes, she and Boomer were hanging out their spot when she first became aware of Globby, but he promised her he would stay out of the way where it was safe.

Instead, he came bustling in with his baseball bat, ready to play ball with the monster.

Bubbles figured he was a little worried, but she was worried about what Blossom and Buttercup must have thought. She didn't want there to be any suspicion from them for his urge to help or for saving her back there.

Speaking of which, Boomer coud have seriously gotten hurt! Her heart had stopped the second Globby's fist had curled itself around the Blue Ruff. She sighs, her gaze drifting back to her boyfriend.

Boomer frowns, seeming to notice her discomfort. He tilts his head to the side, silently asking if she wanted to ditch. 

Before Bubbles can nod, Robin is spinning the bottle. It lands on one of the girls from their class and a friend of theirs, Mina, and the group laughs. Robin is obviously taken so this would just be a filler round.

"Ready to have a fun conversation about calculus class?" Robin laughs as she and Mina head into the closet together. 

"So," Ryan is talking again. "What do you say?" 

"Huh?" Bubbles blinks, trying to remember what he was even talking about.

"I mean, do you think you'd come to one of my meets? You could even come to a practice! We meet at the pool in the basement like twice a week."

"Oh," Bubbles glances down at her hands, trying to find the right words to turn him down nicely. 

"Actually—" 

Somebody laughs. "I don't think she's interested, man." 

That somebody happened to be Boomer.

Ryan chuckles, mistaking the aggression in Boomer's voice for something more playful. 

"Hey, man, it doesn't hurt to shoot your shot, amiright?" 

There's another laugh from the group, but Bubbles and Boomer weren't laughing. 

"Hey, what do you guys think Ace's parents do for a living?" Buttercup asks.

Bubbles looks over at her instantly, grateful for the change in topic, but Buttercup actually seems to be deep in thought. 

"Um, Mr Copular is an art collector or some shit," Somebody supplies.

"Ahh," Buttercup nods knowingly. Bubbles also nods along, recalling the many art pieces that were displayed in the house. His dad has great taste which makes a lot of sense now. 

"And Mrs Copular is an actress. You know, Raquelle Copular?" 

"Oh no fucking way." Buttercup gasps. "That's his mom?" She settles her weight back onto the palms of her hands, seemingly going back into a deep thought. 

Finally, the seven minutes are up and the two girls rejoin the group, still talking about calculus homework. 

"My turn." Ryan grins, leaning over to spin the bottle.

Bubbles literally holds her breath.

The bottle spins and spins and spins for what feels like an eternity.

It lands on Claire Simmons. 

_Thank goodness._

Bubbles lifts her gaze to find Boomer already staring back at her.

She smiles and he lifts his beer bottle to his mouth to hide the smile that was threatening to break loose on his lips. 

-UD- 

"Phew." 

Blossom shuts the door behind her.

She had been waiting for what has felt like fifteen minutes for this group of girls to get out of the bathroom.

All seven of them had stumbled out, apologizing about fifty times to her for taking so long, also complimenting Blossom on her top while simultaneously trying to hold each other up. They eventually started for the door, waving to Blossom saying they loved her and would see her at school on Monday. 

They were quite nice.

Blossom lets out a deep breath and looks around. The bathroom was kind of cramped because it was connected to a bedroom and Blossom wonders how all 7 of those girls managed to fit in here and have so much fun for fifteen minutes. 

She stares back at her reflection in the mirror, running a hand over her cheeks. Gosh, why was she like this? Shouldn't she be enjoying herself at this party like any other highschooler would? 

It wasn't that Blossom didn't want to see her friends and have fun. She just felt so out of her element in these kind of situations. Buttercup and Bubbles had it so easy, being capable to get along with any teenager in a ten-mile radius. Even Buttercup had her social butterfly moments, even if she refused to outright admit it.

Blossom is only good at talking to adults. It sucks. 

Reaching out for the tap, Blossom begins to wash her hands when the bathroom door suddenly swings open, shutting closed just as quickly. A lock clicks and her eyes widen.

"Brick?" 

Surprised, the Red Ruff turns to face her. That look of surprise barely lasts for half a second before Brick's usual stoic expression settles back onto his face. 

"You hiding or something, Utonium?" 

Blossom closes the tap.

"Just washing my hands." 

"Seems like you're hiding." 

Blossom ignores him, reaching for the towel.

She can sense Brick watching her. From the corner of her eye, she takes in his appearance. Long red hair peaks out from beneath his signature red cap and he has a simple black t-shirt on.

Clearing her throat, Blossom gives Brick, who was still standing in front of the door, a pointed look.

The Red Ruff contemplates on it for a moment, leaning away from the door when a shrilly voice speaks over the muffled music.

"Brick??? Where did he run off to?" 

Brick cusses lowly under his breath. 

Blossom didn't even need to question who the caller was. It was Princess Morbucks. The door to the bedroom creaks open slowly. 

Before Blossom can register what was happening, Brick shuts off the bathroom lights.

"What—" 

Two hands press onto Blossom's shoulders and she immediately goes tense. In the dark, Blossom can make out Brick's eyes looking down at her, intense but a little uncertain. 

Brick wants her to stay quiet. 

Blossom almost laughs out loud. _Wow, who was hiding now?_

Instead of revealing their whereabouts, Blossom stays silent. She didn't want to put herself in the middle of Princess and her weird obessesion with Brick Jojo. Blossom did not have the energy to deal with Princess tonight. Being stuck in a tiny bathroom with Brick at a party was bad enough. 

"What the heck? I swear I saw him come in here," Princess' voice is getting closer.

The two teenagers freeze. Brick has Blossom cornered between himself and the sink, their bodies chest to chest with his chin barely grazing the top of her head. Blossom wills herself to stay still, not daring to even move a muscle.

The doorknob jiggles aggressively and Brick unconsciously leans into Blossom, eyes fluttering closed.

"Ugh." Princess' nasely voice speaks from the other side, "Seriously, where the heck did that boy run off to??" 

The last thing they hear from Princess is a very loud "ewww" before the door to the bedroom is slammed shut.

Blossom and Brick both heave out a breath. Brick's hands slip away from her shoulders, but the two stay glued to their spots as if they were anticipating Princess to come running back with a chainsaw and kick down the door.

From the other side of the wooden barrier, a mattress squeaks. There's some shuffling and someone moans. 

_Loudly._

The two teenagers freeze. Blossom has gone completely rigid once again. This could not be happening.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Brick grits. 

"Ughhh, yessss, Max!" 

Blossom wanted the ground to swallow her whole right that instant. 

-UD-

Bubbles left the circle in search for her sister. Blossom had left for what feels like an eternity ago, but was actually only fifteen minutes, to find a bathroom and never returned. 

She peeps at the line up outside the bathroom in the hallway but her redheaded sister was still nowhere to be found.

Maybe she went to a different bathroom? 

Bubbles is about to start checking the bedrooms when she feels someone grab ahold of her wrist and pull her into an empty closet.

The door closes shut and she frowns. "Hello?" 

A light switch flicks. 

Boomer is looking down at her.

"Hey," He scratches the back of his neck a little awkwardly, "Sorry about that." He says, referring to his little ambush. 

Bubbles relaxes. Her voice barely comes above a whisper. "It's fine." 

"Bubbles, can we talk?" 

She gives a little smile. "Aren't we doing that right now?" 

Boomer flushes a little bit and it makes her heart swell. He's so sweet. "Right," He chuckles. "Well, I wanted to talk about what happened back there..." 

Bubbles deflates. Right. Ryan and his invite to watch him swim. "You know it's not serious right? I hardly know Ryan. I mean, we've been going to the same school together since kindergarten, but I can say the same thing about everyone else in our grade." 

Boomer frowns a little. "Yeah, but he was hitting on you and Ryan isn't the type to let up so easily." 

Bubbles wants smoothen out the crease between her boyfriend's brows. "Does it worry you that much?" 

"Well, yeah," Boomer mumbles, not quite meeting her eyes. "You're my girlfriend, remember? I'm obviously going to get uncomfortable when all these guys start hitting on you." 

"All these guys?" Bubbles echoes back. Since when were there more guys?

Boomer's mouth opens and closes a few times. 

"Uhh, you haven't noticed??" 

Bubbles nervously bites the inside of her cheek. "No...? Should I have?" 

Boomer seems to be at loss for words. "Babe, you literally get hit on all the time!" 

None of this was ringing a bell in her head. Sure, maybe some guys would be a little friendly with Bubbles, but that didn't mean they were hitting on her.

"Like who?" 

"Uh, let me think," Boomer sarcastically replies. "Oh, yeah, just yesterday Andrew Keys was flirting with you before homeroom." 

Bubbles gasps. "No he was not! He was just being nice!"

"Bubbles, he literally offered to carry your school bag up to class and then offered to hold the button to the fountain for you when you stopped to fill up your water bottle. He looked like a lovesick fool." 

Okay, the water fountain thing was a bit weird considering Bubbles didn't even have anything in her hands. She had refused both of his offers, but she just thought Andrew was being polite.

"Okay, so that was one time! But that's it!"

"What? Don't be ridiculous, you literally get hit on all the time. Do you know how many times I have witnessed guys try and flirt with you over the summer? Like so many that I lost count? You can't seriously think that every single one of them were just trying to be nice." 

Bubbles is taken back by his words. Is this really what Boomer saw? She needed to talk to her sisters because she was sure they would back her up.

"Oh." The word falls out a little uselessly. 

She takes a deep breath. "Well, I can't exactly control how other guys act, Boomer." She winces a little when Boomer recoils. Okay, that didn't come out right. She reaches out for his hand, gently weaving their fingers together. Boomer still doesn't meet her gaze, his own eyes cast downwards at their intertwined hands. 

"Do you trust me?" 

"What?" Boomer is suddenly out of his daze. "Of course I trust you, Bubbles." 

"Then you have nothing to worry about." She whispers. "This is cheesy, but I only have eyes for you and... you know you have my heart." The last part comes out very softly.

Boomer's breath hitches and she feels his thumb rub gentle circles against the back of her hand. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off like one of those jealous boyfriends." 

"I know," She smiles, reaching up to cup his cheek. "You've never come off that way, but I just want to make sure that we are on the same page, you know? I don't want any misunderstandings between us." 

Boomer exhales. "Okay, same here." 

Bubbles smiles but she feels something nagging at her in the back of her mind. 

"Boomer, can we actually talk about another thing?" 

"My ears are all yours. What's up?" 

"Um, it's about what happened earlier today..." 

A grin pulls onto his lips. "Oh yeah, that was cool, right? The two of us fighting side by side against some monster," He leans closer, nudging his nose gently against hers, "you saving me." He whispers.

Bubbles feels her face heat up. Boomer is a big goof at heart, but she has to admit, the boy really knows how to sweet talk her. 

"Right," She leans back so she can think a little more clearly, somewhere away from the fog that was clouding her mind. "That was cool and it was really nice of you to take that hit, but don't you think it was a little, um, odd?" 

Bubbles cringes. She hates the way that came out. She wasn't saying the right words, but she didn't know how else to say it. She just doesn't want their cover to be blown before Bubbles gets the chance to talk to Blossom and Buttercup first on her own. She's planning on telling her sisters about her relationship, she was just waiting for the right time. 

"I just mean, this was the first time any of the Rowdyruffs have helped us fight against a villain before and I don't Blossom or Buttercup trying to track you down for an interrogation if they get suspicious as to why you helped. It sounds so silly when I hear it coming out of my own mouth, but I just don't want them to ambush you." 

Boomer's head hangs a little low. "Oh. I'm sorry, I-i didn't realize you felt that way." 

Bubbles reaches up for him again. "Stop, I'm the one who is sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, I just don't want my sisters knowing about us yet until I feel ready tell them myself. I'm sorry for being so selfish." 

Boomer pulls Bubbles into a big hug, arms squeezing around her waist, holding her closely to his chest. He mumbles into the crook of her neck, "You're not being selfish, Bubbles." 

Bubbles is relieved. She hugs Boomer back, resting her head against his shoulder as they begin to sway for a little bit.

Bubbles still feels like the tension hasn't left Boomer's body, but she doesn't want to push him any further tonight. 

"Do you want to just stay in here for a little bit?"

"Oh yes please," Boomer groans, holding her even tighter. Bubbles brushes a gentle hand up and down his spine, allowing herself to relish in the feeling of Boomer's warmth for a little while longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! More to come <3


	3. A Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3! Hope you all enjoy & Merry Christmas Eve :)

On Sunday morning, Bubbles got an email from the vice principle, Mrs Hernandez, informing her of a last minute enrolment and asked if Bubbles could give the new student a tour as she was apart of Townsville High's welcoming committee.

This is exactly why Bubbles was currently standing inside the office before class, patiently waiting for the new student to arrive. While smoothening out her skirt, the door to the office opens. Bubbles straightens up instantly. 

"Iris Fable?" 

The girl in the doorway smiles almost instantly. "That's me!"

For a moment, Bubbles was dazed. Iris looked almost angelic, even under the harsh lighting of the office. 

"Bubbles, don't forget about this." The school receptionist, Ms Jacobs, pulls Bubbles out from her sudden daze and slides over Iris' schedule. Bubbles notices that Iris shares the same biology period with Blossom and Boomer.

"Thanks, Ms Jacobs!" She turns back to Iris who was now staring a little intensely. 

Bubbles mentally facepalms herself. What was up with her this morning? "Oops, I should probably introduce myself, haha. I'm Bubbles Utonium. It's really nice to meet you, Iris! Also, feel free to ask me any questions today and onwards!" The Blue Puff sticks her hand out with a big welcoming smile.

Iris takes her hand and shakes it. "Likewise, Bubbles." 

Bubbles hands over Iris' schedule which the she neatly tucks away as they depart from the office. 

The foyer is relatively empty except for a few early birds. They had exactly thirty five minutes before first period which gave Bubbles plenty of time to show Iris around.

They start off with the main halls and Bubbles shows Iris to the cafeteria, also making sure to give her a warning to avoid the Thursday Surprise Meat special. One time Mitch ordered it and threw up all over Blossom's 10th grade science project. They were both mortified, to say the least.

The two students circle the entire first floor before heading up the second floor. Bubbles tries to make small talk throughout their walk. 

"Are there any clubs you would like to know about?" 

"Not particularly." 

"Oh, well Townsville High has lots of fun clubs! I'm sure you'll find something."

Iris nods, but that was it. Bubbles bites her lip. Was she coming off too strong? 

"What are your interests? If you're into painting or drawing then you should definitely join art club! We're always looking for more members." Bubbles beams.

Iris lets out a melodic laugh. "Oh no, I'm not much of a drawer."

"That's totally fine! You don't even need the experience, it's just about having fun." 

An awkward silence falls over the two girls like a weighted wet towel. 

Bubbles attempts to drown out the tension. "I think Mrs Hernandez mentioned you just moved to Townsville, right? Where did you move from?" 

Iris seems to perk up at this and Bubbles relaxes a little. "We actually used to live in Townsville, but we moved to Citiesville for awhile and now we're back." 

"Oh, that's cool! What highschool did you go to before your transfer?"

Iris tucks back a short snow white strand of hair behind her ear. "Ah, I was actually home schooled."

"Really? Wow, what was that like?" 

"Not very exciting. I'm much more social so my parents and I discussed it and thought a public highschool would be a better fit. I'm actually hoping to find an old friend that I lost touch with." She finally meets the Blue Powerpuff's gaze. "Maybe you know him?" 

Bubbles lights up. "For sure! Who's your friend, Iris?" 

Before Iris can respond, Miss Moore comes bustling out of the art room. "Oh, Bubbles, there you are dear! Do you mind lending me a hand? Robert just brought in some extra easels and I need somebody strong to help me carry them back to the classroom because that darn elevator stopped working again." 

Bubbles looks over to Iris. "Do you mind if we take a quick pause on the tour? I promise this will take less than two minutes." 

Iris waves her off. "Oh, don't even worry about it, Bubbles, we can just end the tour here. I think I have a good idea about the school now." She then smiles at her, "Thanks for everything." 

Bubbles watches Iris leave, a strange feeling settling into the pit of her stomach. Why did something feel so... _off?_

She doesn't get much time to contemplate over the feeling as Miss Moore starts shooing Bubbles out the hall, projecting her excitement about the new easals. 

-UD-

Buttercup reaches for the english lit book on the top shelf of her locker.

Out of nowhere, the book is snatched from its spot.

Buttercup's head snaps to the side. Ace is leaning against the neighbouring locker, flipping through the pages.

"Othello, huh? I didn't take you as the Shakespeare type." 

"I'm not. That's just for my english class."

When Ace doesn't hand the book back, Buttercup reaches impatiently for the text. With quick reflexes, Ace dangles the Othello copy high over his head.

A deep scowl sets on Buttercup's face when he smirks down at her.

"What's the rush, Sweetheart?" 

"For the last time—" Buttercup grits her teeth, holding back a sigh that so desperately wants to leave her mouth. Jeez, it wasn't even 8 am yet and she was putting up with this random crap. 

"Just give me back the book." She demands. 

"Tempting. What do I get in return?" 

Buttercup's mind literally goes blank.

"You know what? Keep the book, I don't want it." She slams her locker shut, turning to leave Ace and that stupid book behind. She'll just tell Mr Clarkson she lost her copy and pay the twenty dollar fee. 

Unfortunately for Buttercup, Ace strides to meet her pace. 

"Oh, c'mon," He's chuckling now. Buttercup has never wanted to shut someone up so badly in her life and she's had to deal with Butch Jojo for over a decade. 

"Just skip class with me today." 

This has Buttercup halting in her tracks.

Her green eyes narrow at him. "What?" 

"Skip class with me." Ace repeats.

"Why?" 

"Why not?" 

Buttercup was getting real tired of his deflections. 

"Are you always this annoying?"

"According to my parents, yes." 

Yikes. Buttercup maintains her indifferent expression. "So you just like to spite people who think you're annoying?" 

"You could say that." 

Without a second thought, Buttercup snatches back her book from Ace's loose grip. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise. 

"I'm heading to class." Buttercup mutters, leaving a stunned Ace behind.

When Buttercup turns the corner, she walks right into someone's sturdy chest.

The sight of Butch's face quite literally makes her sneer. 

"What?!" Butch cries, offended by her sour reaction.

She shoulders past the Green Rowdyruff. "I don't have time for this, Butch!" 

"Huh— what did I even do?!" 

-UD-

Blossom's first period calculus class wasn't even two minutes into the lesson when a loud, inhumane screech was heard from outside.

Suddenly, a giant force pummels through the classroom windows, shattering them on the spot.

Screams instantly entail as students duck, attempting to shield themselves from broken shards of glass.

Blossom's eyes widen at the creature that unravels itself from the floor. A growl comes from the head of a lion while the goat head protruding from its back glares. The snake from the end of its tail hisses viciously at her.

Is that supposed to be a _Chimera?_ Blossom could hardly believe what she was seeing in front of her. 

"Everybody run!" Blossom's laser beams instantly shoot out after the terrifying creature. It hisses, flapping its giant red wings in pure rage.

Panic and frenzy has taken over the classroom. Blossom is flying up to distract the creature with her own lasers in attempts to try and lure it back outside. 

She zips past her own desk and almost flies herself into the wall.

"Robin, you need to go!" Blossom urges when she realizes her best friend has glued herself to her seat, her limbs lost to the shock of the creature in front of them. "Robin, please!" 

The lion roars powerfully and the fire it forces out would have burnt off their faces if it wasn't for the green force field that lifts over them.

The confusion Blossom feels is gone when she whips her head to the side to find Butch right next to her, hands jut out infront of him, his gaze locked on the Chimera. 

Blossom barely has time to acknowledge this. Her hands grip onto Robin, pulling her out of the chair like a rag doll. Fire continues to assault the shield, the creature growing fustrated at its inability to penetrate the protective blockade.

The second the fire ceases, Butch drops the shield, zipping up into the air as he uses his heat vision to pull the attention onto himself. "Go, go, go!" 

Blossom doesn't hesitate as she swoops Robin fully into her arms and flys her out of the classroom. "Mike!" She yells when she catches sight of their friend down the hall. He runs frantically to her, worry taking over him when he spots his girlfriend frozen in Blossom's grip.

"Get her out of here and warn anyone else that you see!" 

Mike barely gets a response out when Blossom zooms back to the classroom that was now empty and heavily damaged. A loud roar is heard and she flies through the broken window.

Outside, beams of blue and green are zapping through the sky. The Chimera lets out another ugly screech that sends Blossom soaring towards the monster. 

"Blossom!" Buttercup spots her sister just as she dodges a close call with the Chimera's fire, "What the hell is this thing?!"

Blossom bends back when the tail tries to take a swipe at her face. 

"It's a Chimera!"

"A Chi-what now?!"

"A Chimera! It's a Greek mythical creature!" 

"What is a mythical creature doing in Townsville?!" Bubbles cries. 

Butch zips past, deflecting another shot of fire. "Who the hell cares why it's here?! This is the coolest thing that's happened to me all year!"

"Seriously, why is Butch here?!" Buttercup huffs. 

"Hey! Just so you know, I'm the reason Blossom and your friend Robin didn't turn to burnt toast! I saved both their asses back there!"

There is an audible gasp, but it is drowned out by the sound of more screeching. 

"Blossom, what do we do?!"

Blossom's head is spinning. She was trying to remember what she read about the Chimera and its defeat. 

"Bellerophon slayed the Chimera on a Pegasus!"

"No offense, Chief, but that is literally no help!"

"Who picked these whack-ass names?!" 

"Bellerophon couldn't get close enough to the Chimera so he used lead on his spear and- ack!" The Pink Puff basically rolls in the air, narrowly avoiding the swing of the snake-tail that was set out to kill her. 

"And Bellerophon dropped it in the Chimera's mouth so when it's fire melted the leadded spear, it would sufforcate!" 

To everyone's surprise, these words came out of Brick's mouth.

Off to Brick's left, Boomer was swooping in, getting in on the action as well.

Blossom's head couldn't wrap itself around this sight. The Rowdyruffs were actually fighting back against some mythical monster with the Powerpuff Girls. What was happening?!

At the sight of more people, the Chimera roars again before taking all the teenagers by surprise, changing its course of action and barrels right towards the crowd of students on the ground. This sends all six of the teenagers rocketing after it. 

"Butch, your shield!" Brick yells, but the call was fruitless. The Chimera was too quick, ready to snatch up the first person it could. 

The teenagers brace themselves only to hear the Lion head howling in pain. Brick had somehow managed to fling himself in front of the student that had become the Chimera's target, shooting a red laser beam right into the lion's gaping mouth.

Despite this feat, the Chimera retaliates, whipping its snake-tail against Brick in full force, sending him against the side of the school building before wounding itself tightly around a new target.

"No, Iris!" Bubbles shrieks loudly among the other screams of students, speeding even faster to reach the girl that was now hanging upside down in the snake-tail's grasp. 

Determined blue lasers shoot out against the snake and it hisses, wrapping itself even more tightly around the girl.

A trail of fire blazes after the Blue Powerpuff as the lion tries to lure Bubbles away from the snake-tail. 

"Bubbles, no!" Buttercup and Blossom scream in unison, trying to use their beams to attack the lion head that was attempting to scorch their sister. Butch manages to make a break through, pulling up a force field just in time to block the fire from reaching the blonde. 

Bubbles does not relent on her beams and to everyone's surprise, the snake hisses out in agonizing pain, loosening its grip around the white-haired girl. Bubbles is instantly diving down, grabbing ahold of Iris in one swift motion through mid-air.

The Chimera lets out one last ugly screech before it bats its wings up to the sky, fleeing at a speed so fast it sends a powerful gust of wind that knocks all of the flying teenagers out of the sky. 

-UD-

Bubbles squeezes herself tightly around Iris, bracing the two of them as she takes the brunt of the fall. Her mind is spinning, the ache in her back demanding to be felt and she groans into the ground.

"Is everybody alright?!"

Voices are getting louder and louder and she blinks up at the sky before finally coming to her senses. Bubbles is instantly up in a sitting position, looking down with pure worry at the student in her arms.

"Bubbles! Bubbles, are you two okay?!"

"I'm fine," Bubbles calls out, never taking her eyes off the girl in her arms. "Iris, are you okay?" 

Iris groans however manages to give a nod and Bubbles feels a tiny sense of relief hit her system. That was close, much too close. She couldn't even imagine what would have happened if she didn't get to her in time. 

Multiple hands are reaching out to the two girls, trying to steady them out. Multiple people circle around Iris, wanting to see if the girl who was dangling from the Chimera's tail in the sky was alright.

A gentle hand touches the Blue Puff's arm. "Bubbs," Blossom's eyes are scanning every inch of her face, looking for any signs of pain or discomfort. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, honest!" Bubbles squeezes her hand. If anything, Bubbles was more worried about Iris. 

Off to the side, Iris seems to have found her balance again. She brushes back her mused up hair to reveal wide green eyes. A gasp falls past her lips.

"Boom Bear?!"

Then, with such rigorous speed, the short haired girl is flinging herself into the Blue Ruff's arms.

_Boom Bear?_

"It really is you!" The girl squeals, her voice full of pure delight. 

Boomer seems to have become frozen to the spot. There was a cut stretched across Boomer's cheek, no doubt from the fall, and his lip was busted open, blood dribbling out of from his bottom lip. 

His mouth parts, blue eyes wide in disbelief. _"Iris?"_

Her head was spinning once again. Bubbles felt so lost and confused. _So Boomer was the old friend Iris was referring to?_

"Surprised?" Iris giggles, pulling away from their embrace, but her hands continue to linger around his waist.

"Um, extremely?" 

More giggles are heard and Bubbles is only released from her trance when Blossom places another hand on her arm to face her head on.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Concerned eyes are searching her face again.

Somewhere off to the right, Butch is complaining. "What the fuck, she knows us too, why aren't we getting hugs?" 

"Trust me, nobody wants to hug you." Buttercup says.

Butch quiets down for a moment before turning to Blossom and Bubbles, his arms opening suggestively. Both girls cringe, not bothering to hide their revulsion. 

Brick pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.

-UD- 

Iris, who was apparently a new student at the highschool, was sent off to the infimary for a quick check up. Oddly enough, Boomer ended up going with her.

Blossom had watched their retreating figures, trying to connect the dots between the new girl and the Rowdyruffs. 

Now Blossom stood inside her calculus classroom that was an utter mess. Shards of glass littered the floor while desks and chairs were overturned, some of them scorched from the Chimera's fire. It was really a miracle that nobody got seriously injured during the entire fiasco. 

Buttercup kicks at the rubble. "This is going to be hell to clean up."

Blossom doesn't respond. She continues to stare out the giant hole in the window, attention trained on the sky. It was as if she was waiting for the monster to swoop back into their field of view and take on another fight. 

But nothing happens. The school yard stays still. There is not even a breeze.

Outside, she could see Brick and Butch talking. Classes were being resumed and anyone who felt comfortable was instructed to attend. It seems the Rowdyruffs weren't in a rush to get back to class.

Blossom thinks back to when the Chimera sent them all falling out of the sky. That mighty force of wind took them each by surprise. One second they were up in the air and the next, they were outstreched against the cement like flattened pancakes.

There was a moment where she was caught up in the confusion of the events that took place. Blossom's head had lolled to the side, the sun shining straight into her eyes. And then a shadow blocked it out. Brick was leaning over her, eyebrows pulled very slightly. 

"Utonium?" He had said. Even after being knocked out of the sky, his backwards cap somehow managed to stay in place. Blossom wondered if that thing was glued to his scalp. It certainly felt like it was apart of him.

There was a moment where Brick and Blossom were just staring at each other, unresponsive. Luckily Buttercup had grabbed Blossom by the arm to sit her up, breaking the strange tension between them. Somewhere nearby, Butch was groaning in pain and Brick had slipped past the sisters wordlessly. 

As if the Green Rowdyruff sensed her staring, Butch turns his head. His chin jerks in her direction, catching his brother's attention and Blossom finds herself turning away from them out of habit. Buttercup was watching her.

"You okay, Blossom?" 

"Fine," Blossom replies. "I'm just thinking." 

"Mhm I figured. What's on your mind, Chief?" 

Too many things. The main one being the whereabouts of the monster that had just magically disappeared without a trace. 

"The Chimera and..." She trails off, noticing Bubbles was being uncharacterisitically quiet. "Bubbs? Are you sure you're doing okay? You took a pretty bad fall." Blossom says, her focus switching from her scrambled thoughts and onto her sister.

Bubbles lifts her chin from the palm of her hand. "Hm?" 

Buttercup looks between the two sisters, no doubt feeling a little bit confused by their abnormal behaviour. 

"Alright, I think you two need to go home." 

-UD-

Brick stares at the seat across from his stand which Blossom was occupying. The Pink Powerpuff hadn't so much as said a word during their quartet practice session today. Even in music class, she had just stared at her music sheet and played, seemingly in deep thought. She was doing that right now, too. The other group members seemed to have picked up on this, letting her be.

Brick found this behaviour a little bit odd. The Powerpuffs had fought off villains during class hours before and they never missed a beat, but this battle felt different, and not just because the Rowdyruff Boys were involved.

After practice, Brick sets off to work with his viola in hand. He had taken up a part-time job as a viola teacher at the music shop two blocks away from the apartment. He originally worked at the register, which was absolute torture, until the original viola teacher left to join a professional orchestra in another city. It was easy to find violin teachers, but it seemed that there weren't many viola teachers in Townsville so Brick's boss asked if he could fill in for a few lessons until they found a proper replacement. Eventually a few lessons became a much more regular occurance. Next thing Brick knew, his boss was offering him the job. 

Brick took it because he needed the money and because he would be paid much more generously than his register job. 

It was a little tough at first. Brick does not like kids. Like at all. 

He had to constantly remind himself that he was dealing with children between the ages of 5 and 12 and not fully matured individuals. It had taken all his patience to not lose his composure at times. 

He thinks he has gotten a little bit better at dealing with them than when he had first started over the summer. The little shits were actually improving a lot, thanks to Brick of course. 

When Brick gets home, he throws himself into his homework. Between school, orchestra, the quartet, and his job, it left very little time for much else. Dropping any one of those activities was not a viable option for Brick either.

Once he makes a good dent in his work, Brick leaves his room to make some dinner. Out in the living room, Butch is sprawled out on the couch, eating take out with the TV on. From the bathroom, the water to the shower cuts. 

Brick is craving eggs so he grabs a few. He also grabs marinara sauce and a few other ingredients. He starts to whisk the eggs in a bowl as the pasta sauce heats up on the stove.

"Hey, look bro, it's _Boom Bear."_ Butch snickers when Boomer joins them in the common space. 

Boomer is shooting daggers at Butch. "Oh, fuck off." 

"Awww, don't be embarrassed wittle Boom Bear!" 

Boomer grumbles incoherently as he begins to rummage through his backpack. Butch is off the couch, his dinner long forgotten as he continues to poke and prode at Boomer.

"Come on, don't act like you didn't like the nickname." Butch floats upwards, snickering some more.

"Shut the fuck up, I did not like that awful nickname she just insisted on it," Boomer is glaring but his ears are tinted a light pink from the reminder of their childhood, "And you're one to talk, Butchie Wutchie."

Brick, who has tuned his brothers out, is now adding some feta cheese, basil, and mushrooms to the cooking egg and sauce mixture. The smell that wafts into the air is mouth watering and Brick's stomach grumbles in agreement.

When the food is ready, he takes the pan off the stove and settles into a stool by the counter top that divides the kitchen and the family room. He chunks a piece of bread into the food, scooping a generous amount onto that bite. Brick feels himself relax the second it makes contact with his taste buds. Yup, this is exactly what he needed after the long day he's endured. 

"So, Iris is back, huh?" 

"Seems like it." 

Both brothers glance at Brick. 

The Red Ruff chews slowly. An eyebrow raises in a silent question of, 'what?' 

Brick just wants to enjoy his eggs in peace. Is that really too much to ask for? 

Butch pulls a "isn't it obvious?" face. "Come on, Bricky Cakes, what aren't you telling us?" 

Brick tenses at the horrendous nickname Iris had given him when they were children. 

"What are you going on about?" 

Boomer hesitates. "Brick, are we having money problems again?" 

"We're always having money problems." Butch replies, picking at a thread on his hoodie.

That was also true. Sure, Brick's new job has helped a lot, but money is tight and always has been tight. The only reason they were able to afford the down payment on this apartment and settle back onto their feet after their emancipation from Mojo Jojo was because of Iris' father. Of course Brick had worked to paying every penny back, setting aside monthly cuts that would go to the Fables. Despite Mr Fable's assurance that the boys wouldn't have to pay him back, Brick did not listen.

The Rowdyruffs did not want to be owned. That is exactly why they filed for emancipation in the first place.

"No." Brick finally replies. 

"No?" Boomer echoes back.

Brick shovels another bite into his mouth. 

The other two visibly relax. 

"Well then," Butch strolls towards the direction of his bedroom, "Now that that's settled, I'm gonna go jerk off. Don't bother me." 

Boomer pulls a disgusted face and Butch cackles loudly, the door slamming shut behind him.

Brick goes back to eating his eggs. 

-UD-

Blossom puts her pencil down with a sigh. Her mind has been feeling foggy all day and the exhaustion of today's events are catching up with her.

Despite Buttercup's suggestion to head home early, Blossom stayed at school. She even stayed for quartet practice. She went the whole day at school, doing what she was meant to be doing, but her mind was stuck on the Chimera.

The Chimera who symbolizes a bad omen. 

From the spot at her desk, she looks out the window. The sky had gone dark and the street was quiet. She turns back to face the room. 

In bed, Bubbles has the covers drawn up to her neck. She went to bed early tonight, forgoing dinner and citing that she was not feeling well. When the girls came back to their shared room, the sisters found Bubbles in bed with a bowl of soup left untouched on her nightstand that the Professor brought up just in case she changed her mind and got hungry. 

Suddenly, the light from her lamp goes out. Blossom finds Buttercup staring down at her, arms crossed over her chest.

"That's enough. I've watched you write a sentence and then look out the window on loop for the past two freaking hours. Go. To. Bed." 

There is no point in fighting. Blossom climbs into her own bed and pulls the cover over herself. Sleep does not come easily.

-UD-

Buttercup wakes up in a flash. The events of her nightmare were slipping away, puddling into one hazy mess that she really did not need to retain. Her body is hot, almost as if her system was overheating. The clock on Buttercup's bedside table indicates that it is 4 in the morning.

She groans, flopping back against the pillow. After a second, she reaches back to flip it over so she can feel the cool side of the pillow against her flushed cheek. 

_Do not dream,_ Buttercup thinks to herself, knowing all too well that her mind has no control over it. 

-UD- 

The next day at school, everybody was buzzing about yesterday's events. About the new girl who got whisked up by the Chimera and survived its terror. 

It was literally all anyone was talking about. It had become the topic of the day.

Iris smiles graciously at the compliments and questions she was receiving by the students that were flocking around her table. 

"You were so brave, Iris! I can't even imagine what that must have felt like." 

"What was going through your mind?!"

"Did the snake bite you??" 

Next to Iris, Boomer sat awkwardly in the centre of the chaos. It seemed like she had asked him to have lunch with her. Bubbles hadn't had the chance to see him yesterday after the attack because of classes and because of his after school swim practice. The cut on his cheek and bottom lip was quickly healed thanks to a little Chemical-X. From over the crowd, Boomer tilts his head towards Bubbles, only to find her looking back down. 

Bubbles pushes away her untouched lunch. 

"Not hungry?" Robin asks and Bubbles shakes her head.

The bell rings, signalling 5 minutes until the next period begins. People have begun to pack up and leave the cafeteria.

Bubbles stands up, giving herself a little mental pep talk before walking over to where Iris was packing up. The crowd had mainly broken off, but there were still a few lingering students.

Earlier Blossom had said she wanted to check in with Iris today to see how she was doing after the attack and Bubbles had offered to do the check-in on an impulse. 

_A very stupid impulse._

She slowly begins to dread the interaction the closer she gets to the table. Bubbles rolls back her shoulders, mustering the best easy-going smile she could form. 

Boomer spots her approaching first and visibly perks up. 

"Hey Iris," Bubbles greets warmly, trying to push down the nerves she felt on the inside.

The white haired girl looks up from her bag, a big smile instantly pulling at her lips. 

"Bubbles, hi! How have you been?" She then looks over at the students huddled around the table, "Bubbles was super nice to give me a tour of the school on my first day. She's so nice, right?" 

A chorus of cheery nods and enthusiastic agreements come from the group. 

This was the most lively interaction Bubbles has ever had with Iris since her arrival. It was such a stark difference from when they first met.

"Haha, thank you." Bubbles is promptly avoiding Boomer's gaze that has been locked on her since she got up from her seat. She reminds herself that she is specifically here to check in on Iris. 

"Anyway, I just wanted to check in and see how you've been, you know, because of yesterday..." Bubbles awkwardly laughs. Wow, was she always this fidgety around people? 

"Oh! That is _so_ sweet," Iris is once again looking to the group and then she looks at Boomer specifically. "Wouldn't you agree, Boom Bear?" 

That nickname almost made Bubbles flinch. She held back any visible discomfort. Gosh, what was wrong with her? She really needs to pull herself together!

"Okay!" Bubbles claps before Boomer can get the chance to respond. She readjusts the strap of her bag. "I should probably get going then since next period is about to start in a minute or so. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright and I'm glad to see that you are! Feel free to find me if you still have any other questions!" 

"For sure! And thanks _so much_ for checking in on me, Bubbles. I really appreciate it." 

Bubbles nods one last time, anxiously ready to get to her next class. She'll also send Blossom a quick text just to let her know she spoke to Iris and that everything was A-OK.

Right when Bubbles is about to move, someone yells, "Oh my God, watch out!" just as a light pannel and part of the ceiling comes crashing down right where Bubbles had been standing not even seconds ago.

All of that would have come falling down on the Blue Puff's head if it hadn't been for the person that pushed her out of the way. 

Iris. 

"Are you okay?!" 

Bubbles felt like a deer caught in headlights. 

"Bubbles," Boomer's voice is full of concern. "Are you hurt?" He almost reaches out to her but stops himself, the pull at his brows indicating that he had remembered where they were. 

Worried faces were peering at Bubbles who was frozen under the attention. "I-i," The stutter in her voice has her instantly clamping her mouth shut. Robin is at her side almost instantly, having been waiting off to the side for Bubbles to go to their next class together. 

"Bubbles?" Robin is lightly shaking her arm.

"Sorry!" Bubbles squeaks and internally cringes at herself. She clears her voice and tries again. "Wow, that was a close one, haha. Good thing Iris was here! Thank you, Iris!" 

Andddd now she was rambling. Bubbles brushes off some ceiling dust and debris that was coating the front of her new top, avoiding everyone's peering eyes. 

The chatter was getting louder, shifting from worry to praise for Iris who had saved Bubbles from the sudden wreckage of the ceiling. 

Bubbles grabs ahold of Robin's wrist. "We should get going," She quickly says, not giving Robin a chance to counter her as she practically speeds them out of the cafeteria. 

By the end of third period, the entire school had heard about the incident in the cafeteria.

-UD-

"Brick! There you are! What is this that I am hearing of you and Blossom Utonium hooking up at Ace's party on Friday night?!"

"WHAT?!" 

Brick bristles at the shocked looks he and Blossom were recieving from their siblings and a few other students in the middle of the hallway. 

For fucks sake. He just came to his locker to put away his AP French notes. 

Unfortunately for Brick, his locker happened to be two down from Buttercup's which is exactly why Blossom was currently in the vicinity, witnessing Princess' untrue reveal with a horrified expression etched out on her usually poised features. 

Usually Brick and Buttercup just ignore each other when they happen to cross at their lockers. It was like an unspoken agreement, one that they both seemed content with. So when he saw the two sisters standing by the Green Powerpuff's locker at lunch, he just ignored them as per usual. Butch, of course, took this as a prime opportunity to try and bug two Utonium sisters at once.

"Bro, what the fuck! You hooked up with Blossom?!" Butch gasps, acting as if the girl in question wasn't standing two feet away from them.

_"We did not hook up!"_

The two Red glare at each other, annoyed for speaking in unison before their anger shifts to Princess who was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, her foot tapping impatiently against the floor.

"Well?" The curly headed girl demands.

Brick slams his locker so hard it rattles. 

"We. Didn't. Hook. Up." 

Butch narrows his eyes. "But how do we _know_ you didn't?" 

"Because we _didn't!"_ Blossom assures, clearly exasperated and a little on edge. 

Brick was throwing daggers at his brother. He swears, if Butch says anything that he shouldn't...

Buttercup holds up a hand. "Wait, hang on, didn't you leave in the middle of 7 minutes in heaven? You were gone for like twenty five minutes!" 

"Yes, but only to go the bathroom! And there was a long wait! And—" 

Princess lets out a loud and betrayed gasp, wailing dramatically.

"Max and Julia said you two came out of the locked bathroom together! I cannot believe what I am hearing right now, Brick Vincent Jojo!" 

"For the last time, woman, stop trying to guess my middle name!"

"You're getting real close though, Princess. Just keep trying." Butch encourages unhelpfully like the bastard he is. 

_Fucking hell._ Now Brick had to deal with whatever shit Max and Julia claimed to have seen. Stupid Max and Julia who were in the middle of having sex when Brick and Blossom awkwardly and a little shamefully (for no good reason at all considering the situation at hand) exited the bathroom together. The couple had shrieked something about an invasion of privacy which if anything, the lewd noises Brick and Blossom had to witness was an invasion to their ears, but the Reds had just rushed out of the bedroom, Blossom almost tripping over one of their discarded shoes. 

Brick had shot them a murderous glare, thinking it would be enough to shut the couple up from ever revealing the details of that uncomfortable experience.

Apparently it didn't do jack shit. 

Once in the hall, the two broke off in opposite directions without uttering a single word to one another. They were lucky that nobody else was hanging outside. Brick thought they were home-free. Of fucking course Max and Julia couldn't keep their traps shut.

Buttercup's head cranes back, her face contorting to something inbetween confusion, shock, and maybe even a little bit of curiosity. Butch is in such disbelief that his jaw is practically hanging to the floor like an unraveled YoYo. 

"No. Fucking. Way. You and Brick actually hooked up!" 

"That wasn't what happened!" Both Brick and Blossom shout in unison.

They swivel on the spot, pointing an accusing finger at one another while their eyes blazed in vexation. "Stop copying me!" 

"No, you!"

_"Ugh!"_

They both turn away from each other with a frustrated huff, Brick crossing his arms over his chest and Blossom placing her hands on her hips. 

"Okay, that was freaky." Buttercup whispers.

"Agreed." 

"Will you two shut up!" Brick growls. He needed to defuse this bomb that Princess dropped on them right this moment before it grew legs and spread itself to everyone else in the entire school. 

"Yes, okay, so we were in the bathroom together, but Blossom was just _washing her hands."_

Buttercup raises a single eyebrow at him. 

"And your excuse, Red?" 

"I—"

Brick closes his mouth with a slight frown. Well, to be frank, he went in there to hide from Princess who was trying to hunt him down. It's not like he was expecting to find Blossom Utonium hiding in there for whatever reason. 

Blossom's head drops into her palms in exasperation. Long copper coloured hair was shielding her face from everyone's sight like a make-shift curtain.

Buttercup makes an unimpressed face that said "gotcha" and Brick lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. He was losing his patience and it seems that with every attempt at clearing their names, the two Reds were digging themselves into an even bigger hole.

The bell to the end of lunch rings loudly in their ears.

Neither Brick or Blossom waste another second, both taking the life line they were given to leave this damn awful situation.

"Uhhh, Brick, buddy, your class is the other way!" Butch calls.

"I know!" Brick snarls back.

Brick and Blossom share third period together. There is no way he is walking to music class with her after all this. 

Not fucking happening.

-UD-

Boomer pulls himself out of the water and flips his goggles up onto his forehead.

"Good work today, everyone!" Coach O'Connor claps. "Wonderful practice. You're all free to go and I will see you on Saturday!"

"Nice job out there, Boomer." 

Boomer almost glares when he realizes it is Ryan who has clapped him on the shoulder. Instead, he maintains his cool and nods. 

"Yeah, you too, man." 

Ryan grins widely, blissfully unaware as he heads to the showers.

In the locker room, Boomer peels back his swimming cap, chucking it into his open locker. In seconds, he is reaching for his backpack to fish out his cellphone.

Boomer bites his bottom lip.

No missed calls. No new messages.

Damn. 

Technically there was a message from Iris, but Boomer ignores it for now. He dials Bubbles' number and waits.

_"Hi there! You've reached Bubbles Utonium! Sorry I can't get to the phone right now—"_

Boomer cuts the call and sighs. 

Bubbles has been MIA all day. 

After the Chimera attack, Boomer didn't get a chance to talk to Bubbles in private. He was caught up with Iris being back and when his old friend asked if he could walk her to the infimary he found himself agreeing. And because Boomer and Bubbles shared no classes together this semester, it wasn't like he was able to physically check up on her afterwards unless it was after school.

And then there was what went down at lunch today. The scare with the ceiling pannel was the last straw. He just needed to talk to her and make sure she was she was okay. He wanted to hear Bubbles communicate to him _directly._ Not discreetly through a group of people. 

Boomer had been trying to get in contact with Bubbles, but to no avail. He was either being met with silence or with his girlfriend's automated voice machine.

Boomer stuffs his phone away into his bag, momentarily giving up so he could shower, when out of nowhere, the custom ring-tone he had set up for Bubbles goes off.

Boomer is scrambling to get ahold of his cellphone. He ignores the weird look he recieves from one of the guys who was still packing up. 

"Hello?" He can hear himelf breathing into the device, sounding as if he just ran a marathon.

"Boomer?" Bubbles whispers.

Boomer feels the weight literally lift off his shoulders. Oxygen is now reaching his lungs, allowing him to take an actual deep breath after what feels like so long.

"Hey," Boomer plants his ass down onto the bench, running a hand through his messed up hair, "Where have you been? I've been trying to get in contact with you for hours! I was so worried!" He is very aware that he is rambling. He can't help it. He just missed Bubbles. 

"Boomie, I am so sorry!" Boomer can hear the door close on the other line. She's no doubt at home right now, sneaking away to make this phone call. "I've been caught up with preparations for the new mural and then I was literally hounded by my sisters and our dad. They've been on my case ever since they found out about what went down in the caf..."

"How are you feeling now?" Boomer asks when Bubbles trails off. He still felt stressed. It was so unlike her to be this quiet and reserved.

"I'm fine," Bubbles assures. "Seriously, I wish people would stop asking me that." She laughs almost a little bitterly and Boomer frowns.

"But the ceiling almost fell on your head. And... you just looked so startled." 

Boomer's reponse was met with silence. 

"I'm still sorry," He blurts. "For not checking in on you when it happened. I should have, but I thought maybe you would have felt uncomfortable with everyone there." He starts to pick at the ends of his swim trunks, trying to push away his disappointment. He should have checked in on her sooner, no matter what.

It wasn't that the situation was exactly dire. Not for a Powerpuff, anyway. They had super strength and Chemical X. Boomer wasn't trying to undermine her strength or ability to withstand these situations. But the expression he saw on her face was what Boomer couldn't get out of his head.

"Boomer, please stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong." Bubbles then lowers her voice, "Can we please talk about something else now?" She pleads in a soft whisper.

"Okay," Boomer instantly replies. It was fine. If she felt fine and didn't want to talk about the incident then they wouldn't. Boomer didn't mind. As long as he could stay on the phone and hear Bubbles' voice, it didn't matter what they talked about. 

"I just... I really miss you, Boomer." 

The desperation that leaks in her voice surprises him. Boomer feels his heart lurch at the sound. Deep down, it was a relief to hear that she felt the same way as him. 

"I miss you too. So much." 

From the corner of his eye, Boomer notices one of the guys in the locker room openly stare in surprise. Boomer shoots him a spine-chilling glare. That is enough to have the guy jump back, scoop up his swim bag, and scurry out the change rooms in fear. 

The Blue Ruff relaxes back on the bench, finally able to speak his mind in peace. 

"We haven't been able to spend much time together and it sucks because we were together so often during the summer." 

"I know, Bubbs, I'm sorry." Boomer whispers softly. He pauses when an idea comes to mind. 

"What if... what if you came to my meet this weekend?" 

Boomer knew this would be a little risky. Fuck, stupid Ryan had to go and ask Bubbles if she would come watch him swim like a lovesick fool. As if she didn't have a boyfriend on the swim team already. 

_He doesn't know you're together, dumbass!_ The voice in his head screams at him. Boomer drowns the little fucker out by tuning into Bubbles. 

She perks up. "Really? You'd want me to come?"

"Of course I'd want you to come to my meet," Boomer almost laughs at her reaction. She was adorable. And it was such a relief to hear this side of her again. 

"We could even make a day out of it. Go on a little date afterwards?" 

Boomer was getting more and more excited with every passing second. It had been so long since they've gone out on a proper date. It would be nice to just spend the whole day together. Maybe even fly to Citiesville or a neighbouring city for dinner? An idea then pops into his mind and he is mentally making a list of the things he will need to pull it off.

"Yes! That sounds amazing, let's do it!"

Boomer feels a full fledged smile break out onto his face.

-UD-

Saturday doesn't come fast enough. 

But finally, the day of the meet arrives. Bubbles is up bright and early, making sure she has everything she needs for the day, including a spare change of clothes. Boomer had texted her the night before saying he made dinner plans for them which was super exciting! She also had a special box of Boomer's all-time favourite Swiss chocolates tucked safely in her bag that she was going to surprise her boyfriend with after the meet. It wasn't anything all that special, but she had a feeling his stomach would appreciate it.

Bubbles didn't have to worry too much about being out today since her entire family was busy with their own things. For starters, the Professor was going to be at the lab all weekend for some long awaited test run they had planned. Blossom had scheduled a day at the library to prepare for her calculus test so she was out the door before Bubbles even got out of bed. This leaves Buttercup who works every Saturday as a coach for Little League Soccer and today she also had plans with Mitch and Mike so she wouldn't be back home until late.

Bubbles left for her volunteer placement at the hospital at 9AM and since Boomer's meet didn't start until 1PM that gave her plenty of time to fly over when she finished her shift.

The meet was taking place at the Townsville community pool. The pool was bustling with life, people arriving to compete or come watch their friends or family swim.

The smell of chlorine fills the Blue Puff's nose as she climbs up the many steps to the second floor. Anyone who wasn't a competitor, coach, or hosting the meet was instructed to find their seats on the upstairs bleachers in the pool area.

Bubbles settles in a seat right in the front, barely able to contain her excitement.

She leans over curiously, taking in the atmosphere. The pool was seperated accordingly into 8 lanes with little triangular flags hanging above the water. There was quite a turnout considering all the different schools that were here to compete today. 

Bubbles skims through the groups of students and coaches until she finds Townsville High's swim team.

Thanks to her superhuman hearing, Bubbles was able to listen in on Coach O'Connor's pep talk to his swimmers. Bubbles spots Boomer amongst the crowd and she smiles. He looked so focused, nodding intently to every word Coach O'Connor was saying.

An annoucement is soon made and the groups disperse, preparing for the first heat. The first set of eight swimmers step up to take their place for the butterfly event. 

Boomer isn't among this group, but Bubbles is still excited to watch the race. She has never been to a swim meet before so this was all so new to her.

From down below, she feels a pair of eyes on her. Her gaze shifts from the line up to find her favourite blue eyes gazing up at her adoringly.

"Hey." Boomer whispers, just for her ears. Having superhearing really did have its perks.

"Hi." She greets back, her smile so wide it was contagious. 

"I'm glad your here." Is all Boomer gets to say before suddenly the swimmers are diving off into the water.

This momentarily surprises Bubbles, reeling her attention almost instantly. She watches them race with pure awe, amazed at how smoothly their arms cut across the water. The whole vicinity was practically buzzing, cheering and clapping throughout the race. Before Bubbles knew it, they had completed their laps and the next heat was stepping up to do the butterfly event.

Once the butterfly event wraps up, they move into backstroke and then freestyle. 

Bubbles perks up immediately at the annoucement for freestyle, watching as Boomer steps up among the 7 other guys who were competing. She was fully at the edge of her seat, excitement taking over her body. 

"Wooo!! Go Boom Bear!" 

Bubbles almost slips off the bleacher. Her head whips to the side to where the voice had come from. A few bleachers to her right, she could spot a white bob amongst the group of heads. Iris was holding a giant sign that read "Go Boomer!" in pretty purple lettering against a white background which were Townsville High's school colours. 

Bubbles felt like somebody had knocked the wind out of her. The room was suddenly very stuffy and hot, the rush of warmth becoming a little unbearable to withstand. Deep inside, there was a feeling of envy taking root. Bubbles wished so badly that she could have made her own sign to openly support Boomer. Witnessing someone else be able to do it chipped a little more at her soul. 

She took a deep, deep, deep breath. Bubbles was here to support Boomer and the THS swim team, just like all these other students and families affiliated with Townsville High and this includes Iris. 

Bubbles forces her eyes away. She didn't want to miss a single thing from Boomer's first race. 

All the guys in the line up are shaking out their arms or readjusting their goggles. They step up together onto their respective diving boards, bending over with their gazes set firmly on the water.

Bubbles had never seen such intense focus radiating off of Boomer. It was so interesting to finally witness him in this new environment. Right in his element. 

At the sound of a loud beep, all the boys push off from their boards, diving smoothly into the water. Loud splashes follow their dives and Bubbles leans further out of her seat to watch in anticipation.

Bodies glide under the water and the entire crowd watches as one by one, swimmers begin to pop up from underneath, their arms carrying them straight into a freestyle stroke. 

After what feels like a worrisome amount of time to be under water, Boomer's figure resurfaces from the depths of the pool. His toned arms carry him through the stroke and Bubbles watches in amazement as he pulls ahead of the group.

When Boomer nears the wall, his body tucks into a roll with a loud splash, pushing right off the wall to boost himself in the opposite direction. 

The Blue Rowdyruff swims at an incredible speed, his arms and legs propelling him through the water. The cheers of the crowd are loud and energetic as the swimmers brace themselves for a flip and push off the wall with their legs to resume the stroke in the other direction.

Bubbles feels the adrenaline flow through her veins and she wasn't even racing! This feeling was truly a new experience for her. From somewhere on the deck, Bubbles can hear Coach O'Connor among the screams and cheers, shouting words of encouragement so loudly that she didn't even need her superhearing to catch it. 

Boomer was neck and neck with another competitor, the two of them nearing the end of the lap. 

A this point, Bubbles has blocked out the rest of the the swimmers. Her focus has been captured by the graceful yet vigorous movements of Boomer's limbs.

"Go Boomer!" Her voice yells loudly amongst the cheering crowd, her heart pounding even harder.

Coach O'Connor was still yelling. "Atta boy, Boomer! Almost there, my boy! Keep pushing through!"

More encouraging shouts are being thrown by Boomer's teammates on the sidelines. "You're almost there, Boomer!" 

"Keep going, Jojo!!"

"Don't stop! Keep it up!"

Boomer's arms cut through the water until finally, his hand touches the wall. This elicits an ear deafening cheer the THS team, Coach O'Connor, the crowd, and Bubbles. 

When Boomer's time appears next to his name on the giant screen, Coach O'Connor is back to his hysteric screaming.

"Boomer just pulled a new record! You did it, Jojo!" 

The other swimmers finish one after the other and once the last competitor makes it to the end, the swimmers turn to their right and to their left to shake hands with whoever was in the lane right next to them.

Bubbles watches as Boomer shakes hands with the other competitors before pulling himself out of the pool. Droplets of water slip off his body and onto the ground until someone tosses him a giant navy towel which he wraps around his shoulders.

Boomer swiftly snaps back the goggles that were protecting his eyes and makes his way towards his lively teammates. His chest is heaving up and down in deep breaths, yet he looks surprisingly calm for someone who not only won the event, but broke a new record.

Coach O'Connor is the first to get to him, wrapping a strong arm around Boomer's broad shoulders and slapping him affectionately across the back as he praises him.

Bubbles could feel the excitement radiating off the entire team from up on second floor bleachers. She grins, feeling her heart continue to beat quickly from the rush she got watching the race and Boomer's amazing performance.

Some of the students from the team clap Boomer on the back as he passes by. By now he has removed his cap and is beginning to towel out the remaining droplets from the back of his neck before draping the towel over his shoulders, gripping the ends with his hands.

Boomer pauses by the railing, glancing up at the bleachers and smiles up at Bubbles who was already looking back at him with pure joy.

-UD-

Blossom arrives to Townsville Public Library just as they open their doors. 

Being able to have first pick at a seat in a library was truly the best feeling in the world. 

Blossom is instantly drawn to her favourite corner seat at one of the long rectangular tables. Each table was lined with lamps on the tables for extra lighting and an outlet for every available seat. This part of the library was Blossom's favourite area because there was a large window that spanned across the length of the building, providing a beautiful view of Townsville from the 5th floor of the library.

Blossom settles into the wooden chair, unpacking all her studying material. She had a calculus test coming up this Monday and she's been studying all week in between all her other responsibilities however today was a crucial study session. 

The library starts to fill up as the hours pass and when Blossom finally glances up from her practice questions, she is taken back by all the new faces. 

Sitting back in the wooden chair, Blossom rolls her shoulders and massages the stiffness out of her neck. She's been hunched over the table for what feels like so long that her entire back has dried out. 

The smell of coffee drifts around the room and Blossom reaches for her own insulated flask that was filled with her favourite tea. She takes a thoughtful sip as she admires her work. She has gotten through a decent number of practice questions for three chapters so far which was good. 

The time on her watch reads a little after 3PM. She skims through the remaining chapters that needed to be complete. She knows she can get it all done by tonight, but this means she won't be leaving until closing.

Blossom sets down her flask, ready to get back into her work when somebody pulls back an empty chair at a rectangular table right next to the one she was currently sitting at.

Her gaze shifts by reflex at the noise, but to her surprise she finds Brick settling into the corner seat with a laptop out on the table and a pair of wireless headphones sitting comfortably over his backwards cap.

Their eyes momentarily meet over the table. Blossom is the first to avert their gaze from the awkward stare-off.

So what if Brick came to the library to study? It is not like they would have to interact. They weren't even sitting at the same table. 

Brick and her haven't spoken since Princess dropped that ridiculous accusation on them. Their silence carried out to orchestra and even during the quartet practice this past week. Neither of them were eager to address the situation so the most feasible option was to avoid it altogether and pretend like nothing ever happened. Blossom was more than okay with doing that.

Blossom burries herself into her practice questions once again. She looks up from her work only once to flick on the lamp at the table for some extra lightening once the natural lighting had dimmed. She solves question after question until she has completed 80% of the practice chapter questions for her upcoming test.

Almost everyone on the 5th floor has left. Both Blossom and Brick remain at their respective tables, working quietly in the dim lighting of the library.

-UD-

"Boom," Bubbles laughs melodically, "Are you ever going to let me take this blindfold off?" 

"In a second," Boomer's voice comes from somewhere in the distance. She shifts the weight from one foot to the other in anticipation.

Boomer hadn't given much of any clues on where they would be going for their date. After the meet, Boomer returned from the showers all cleaned up and dressed in a fresh pair of clothing. Once outside, he had presented her with a simple blindfold saying that he would be flying the two of them to the spot. Bubbles had agreed, instantly excited. She loved surprises.

"Okay," Boomer's voice has gotten incredibly closer. Bubbles feels his fingers begin to unravel the tie behind her head. "It's time for the reveal...." 

The blindfold drops.

The Puff's eyes take a moment to readjust to the light. They widen. 

"Tadaaaa! I thought tonight was the perfect night to do this before the weather gets too cold. Whadya think, babe?" 

"It's... it's beautiful." Bubbles whispers in awe.

Boomer had taken her to their spot. But their spot had been revamped for their date.

A circular table is set up in the middle of the roof which has been decorated in a table cloth with two lit two candles in the centre. There are two trays with utensils, drinking glasses, and little red rose petals adorning the table and floor of the roof.

She couldn't believe her eyes. Boomer had really set up a candle lit dinner on the roof for her. 

She begins to wonder how he got the time to put this all together.

Boomer zips to the table, pulling back a chair. 

"After you, m'lady." 

Bubbles smiles, walking over to take her designated seat. Boomer tucks her in before reaching under the table where he pulls out a single red rose and a giant glass bottle. He hands her the rose with a flirtatious smirk before moving on to the bottle.

"Apple cider?" Bubbles muses.

He winks at her comedically. " _Sparkling_ apple cider." 

"Wowwww, look at you pulling out all the stops tonight!"

"What can I say, my girl deserves the very best."

Bubbles giggles and then thanks Boomer as he fills her flute. 

They do a little cheers and take a sip. The sparkling apple cider tickles her tongue and Bubbles relishes in its delicious taste. 

They're about to lift the covers from their platters when a ringtone goes off.

"Shit!" Boomer quickly pats his pockets in panic, trying to shut the device off. "My bad, I thought I put it on mute."

"Don't worry." Bubbles smiles, taking another sip of her drink. She was so excited to see what they would be eating. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing. 

Boomer finally fishes out his phone. He hesitates.

"Go ahead," Bubbles laughs when Boomer glances up at her in question and he lets out a relieved smile.

"You're the best." 

"I know." Bubbles sing-songs playfully.

"Hey, Iris, what's up?" 

Andddd there goes the romantic mood. 

Boomer's brows furrow. "The week 1 bio notes...? OH!" Boomer faceplams on the spot. "Shit, I totally forgot. Damn. Okay, I'm not home right now, but I can email them to you later tonight if that's cool." 

There's a pause.

"Oh, you were there? Haha, thanks..." 

Bubbles slouches a little in dismay. Boomer looks at her apologetically from across the table. Bubbles wills herself to not let her disapointment show. She was not going to let one silly phone call ruin her night!

Boomer hangs up a few seconds later, emphasizing the action of muting his phone. The device is tucked away and out of sight.

"Sorry about that, Iris was asking about the—"

"Boomie?" 

"Yes?"

"It's okay. Really." 

Boomer's smile is as bright as the twinkling stars above their heads. "Let's eat then, yeah? You're going to be so happy when you find out where I ordered the food from!" 

Bubbles feels her mood lift again. Boomer is so effortless at making her feel better.

-UD-

After work, Buttercup makes a quick stop at home. She had plans to play video games with Mitch and Mike tonight.

At home, Buttercup exchanges her soccer cleats and coaching wear for some jeans and a dark green hoodie. She's zooming out the door in seconds, flying over to the Believe residence.

The moment she knocks, the door swings open.

"Buttercup's here!" Mike hollers loudly, letting her into the house.

"Hey," She kicks off her sneakers, noticing an extra set of shoes at the door. Specifically a pair of sleek black boots that definitely did _not_ belong to Mitch Mitchelson. 

"Who else is... oh." 

Ace appears in the doorway to the livingroom. He tilts his head ever so slightly to the side, a look of amusement that Buttercup was quickly becoming familiar with etching out onto his face.

She holds back a sigh and follows Mike through the foyer.

"Believe, get your ass in here!" Mitch is yelling from somewhere in the kitchen. "What the fuck is this despicable pizza order?! Anchovies?! Are you shitting me right now? Or were you just dropped on the head as a kid?"

Mike rolls his eyes and wordlessly strolls past the other two to deal with Mitch. 

That unfortunately left Buttercup with Ace. 

Alone.

Buttercup hasn't talked to Ace since his weird attempt at getting her to skip class with him a few days ago. 

Ace still has that stupid expression on his face while he makes a show of visibly blocking the entrance to the livingroom.

"Fancy seeing you here, Sweetheart."

"You going to stand there all night, Spade?" 

Ace ignores her question. "C'mon, you know that's not my name, Sweetheart." 

"And you know that isn't mine but that hasn't stopped you from being a dickhead." 

Ace grins. "Fair enough." 

Thankfully Mike and Mitch return, oblivious to the tension in the air. 

"Okay, who's ready to get their ass beat in Call of Duty?" 

It turns out Ace is pretty damn good at video games. He wins the first round against Mike at an embarrassingly quick round. The guy then beats both Mitch and even Buttercup in their rounds of Call of Duty, dominating the lobby. Buttercup was surprised for a lack of a better word. She recalls Mitch saying he met Ace through online gaming, but she honestly didn't expect him to be _that_ good. 

For some reason this annoyed her.

After a few games, the doorbell rings. Mike hops off the couch to pay for the pizza and Mitch stands, saying he was going to grab some more drinks. It takes everything within Buttercup to not throw him back onto the couch WWE style.

"Mike!"

"What?"

"Where do you keep the cans?" 

"In the fridge, where else?!"

"You're out!"

"Check the basement!"

Fortunately, Mike returns to the living room quite quickly with a stack of pizza boxes in hand. 

"Miiiike!"

"For fucks sake." Mike drops the boxes onto the overcrowded coffee table before storming off to deal with the idiot that was still foraging for drinks.

_Damn it, Mitch._

Buttercup was in the middle of cussing both Mitch and Mike out in her head when Ace speaks up.

"You're real quiet, y'know that?" 

"I'm not quiet. I just don't like you." 

Ace can't stop the surprise from flashing on his face. His cool exterior has slipped from her blunt response and the Green Puff is proud of herself for putting a crack in it. Buttercup holds back his stare with an expression of pure indifference. 

"Well," Ace leans back into the recliner, the slightest of smirks pulling at the ends of his lips. "I guess I'm gonna have to find a way to change that." 

Buttercup rolls her eyes. "No need. I've pretty much already made up my mind and I'm extremely stubborn." 

"But there's no harm in me still trying, right?" 

"Knock yourself out, Spade." 

A silence falls over the room like a weighted blanket. Buttercup is now glaring at the TV screen. Jeez, does it really take that long to grab a few sodas?

Buttercup watches from the corner of her eye as Ace wordlessly stands to his full height and exits the livingroom. There's some shuffling in the kitchen before he returns with a stack of plates. He holds one out to Buttercup.

She takes it.

Ace plops his ass back onto the sofa, this time sitting right next to Buttercup on the couch. He doesn't pay any mind to her, flipping over the first pizza box to check out its contents.

"Hawaiian?" 

Buttercup sighs and holds out her plate. 

"How many?"

Buttercup grits her teeth. Ace was trying to get her to use her words. He wasn't slick, but she had to give him some credit.

"One." 

Ace delicately places one slice of pizza onto her plate. 

"Thanks." She grumbles.

He nods, not saying anything else. Ace moves onto the next box and repeats the beginning of the previous process.

"I can serve myself." Buttercup sits up.

"No need. Just tell me how many slices." 

Buttercup holds his stare when Mike and Mitch come bustling into the room.

Mitch whistles loudly, pulling Buttercup out of the stare-off. "Shit smells amazing." 

The brunet plants his ass on the other end of the couch, sandwiching Buttercup in the middle. Before she can get up, Mike takes the recliner, pizza already being shoved into his open mouth. 

Buttercup stiffens uncomfortably when she feels Ace's arm brush against her own. Instead of trying to invade her personal space or even tease her, Ace shifts away from her side and scoots closer to the arm of the couch before silently plopping another slice of pizza onto her plate.

Huh. 

The rest of the night ends up being pretty fun.

Ace seems to have dropped his ultra-cool facade which allows Buttercup to see why him and Mitch get along so well. 

Ace is as much of a fucking gaming geek as Mitch.

The four teenagers eat, verse, and cuss at each other in all different kinds of video games until the pizza runs out and their eyes get tired. 

Overall, it was a pretty decent night.

-UD-

Butch slams his calculus textbook shut with a huff. 

_Fuck this shit,_ he thinks to himself as he stands up from his desk and floats to the living room. He needs a break. He has been staring at those stupid practice questions for far too long. The only reason he was even reading that shit was because Brick threatened his ass with a steak knife this morning if Butch didn't at least pass this class. 

Butch flops back onto the couch and flicks through the TV. He is disappointed to find nothing interesting.

Mike Believe had invited Butch over to play video games tonight with a few of his buddies, Buttercup and that lanky asshole included, but Butch's ass was stuck at home studying for some course that he really didn't give two shits about.

Butch huffs again, kicking his feet out onto the coffee table with his arms crossed over his chest. 

The Green Ruff hasn't even made a dent in the stupid bet. 

How the hell was he supposed to get along with Buttercup Utonium of all people? The girl hates his guts (not to worry since the feeling was mutual) but it really puts a fucking roadblock in his plans. 

And this leads to his next question on how was Butch supposed to get a girl that absolutely hated him to agree to go out on a date when all they've ever done was fight and throw insults at one another for the past decade? 

This was going to be much harder than he originally thought.

His mind a mess, Butch searches through the kitchen to find something to eat. In one of the cupboards he spots an unopened package of brownie mix.

A lightbulb goes off in his head. This could actually work! Butch may have figured out a way to start getting on Buttercup's good side!

Butch speeds off to his bedroom, searching for a special ingredient he would need. He grins the moment he finds what he's looking for and goes off to googling how to make pot brownies on his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! More to come :)


	4. The Anonymous Goodie Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologizes for the long wait & thank you for being patient with me! This chapter is also much shorter so I'm very sorry about that, but I promise the next chapter should be a little longer :)

October eventually comes around.

The leaves have slowly begun to change their colours, shifting from greens to bright yellows, oranges, and reds. The weather was also getting progressively chillier, students exchanging their spring and summer wardrobes for their autumn wear.

Blossom was examining the newly repaired window of her calculus class as Miss Keane distributed their marked tests. After the Chimera broke through the glass and damaged part of the school, the school had set out for repairments. The burnt desks and chairs were replaced and you wouldn't have even thought there was once a giant, gaping hole in the window.

Miss Keane gingerly sets down a test on the Pink Puff's desk. "As always, stupendous work, Blossom."

Blossom feels her insides flutter happily at the compliment from one of her favourite teachers. 

Miss Keane strolls behind Blossom's desk, her tone dropping an octave lower. "Butch, we need to have a chat. Come see me after class." 

There's a low grumble in response and Miss Keane moves on to hand out the rest of the tests. When the bell rings, signaling the end of first period, Blososm and Robin begin to pack up together, chattering happily about their marks.

"Oh, Blossom! Before you leave to your next class, do you mind hanging back for a moment? I promise this won't take long." 

"I'll see you at lunch then?" Robin asks, curiously eyeing Butch who was seemingly sulking down at the test paper in his hands.

Blossom nods and her friend departs to her next class. Blossom approaches Miss Keane with a polite smile, although a little warily.

"Sure Miss Keane. What can I do for you?" 

"Well, Blossom, I have quite the favour to ask of you," The calculus teacher glances at Butch who is still glaring at the angry red 43% on his paper. 

Oh no.

"Since you are my top student, I couldn't have asked anyone more capable to help out. I was thinking of pairing you with Butch to be his tutor. Only until he gets around the roadblocks, of course," Miss Keane hurridely adds, "I was thinking you'd meet once a week during lunch. Your time spent together will also be added to your tutor volunteer hours." 

Blossom was stumped. Miss Keane wanted her to tutor Butch Jojo, the insistently irritating Rowdyruff, of all people? 

Butch seems to perk up at this. "Wait, I get to have one-on-one time with Blossom?" 

The Pink Puff sighs heavily. 

-UD-

The Green Powerpuff has been feeling exhausted all morning, but this was nothing new to her. Sleep no longer came easy to her and it was really starting to take a toll on her with lacrosse now in the picture. Buttercup really needs to pull herself together if she wants to perform well this week. The team's first game is coming up and they would be versing a neighbouring highschool from Citiesville. 

Buttercup is making her way to the cafeteria, messing with the part of her bangs as she tries to shake away the memories from last night's dream when somebody slides into her field of view and blocks her path.

"What?" Her tone is impatient. It was lunchtime. Didn't this bastard have anything better to do than bug her?

Butch grimaces. There is a tin box in his hands. His arms jut out like a robot, holding the box right under Buttercup's nose.

"Uhhh, this is for... you?" He is speaking as if he wasn't too sure himself.

Buttercup eyes it suspiciously. "What is it?"

"Brownies." 

"...why are you giving me brownies?" 

Buttercup was beyond confused. "Are you trying to poison me?" She suddenly wonders, eyes narrowing to slits. This would be an all-time low for the Green Rowdyruff but you'd never know.

"No!" Butch huffs, shoving the box unceremoniously into her hands. "Sheesh, you try to do something nice for someone and they ask if you're plotting their death."

_Something nice? For Buttercup? Pftt, yeah right. He's definitely poisoned them._

"Did you hit your head or something this morning?" 

Butch doesn't bother to reply. Instead, he stomps off into the cafeteria before Buttercup can question him any further about the random "gift". She peers down at the tin box in her hands before stalking towards the doors the Green Ruff slipped through. 

Inside the cafeteria, Buttercup joins her sisters, Robin, Mike, and Mitch at their usual spot. She drops the tin box onto the table with a loud bang, catching the entire groups' attention.

"Oooo, whatcha got there, Buttercup?" 

"Brownies... from Butch." She mumbles the last bit very lowly. 

Bubbles blinks in surprise. "Huh. Well, that's...oddly nice of him?" 

"Wait a second, didn't Boomer get food poisoning that one time at school? And didn't they say it was from something Butch made in the home ec class?" Robin frowns in apprehension.

"Maybe he spiked them with laxatives to get back at you for that tackle in our last lacrosse practice." Mike snickers at the memory of Butch's face sinking straight into the dirt. 

Mitch reaches over to pull off the lid. He leans closer to the tin and takes a whiff, a sly grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Sick, they're pot brownies!" 

"What?!" Blossom gasps and Mitch shushes her in an obnoxiously loud manner before anyone else in the cafeteria can realize what they've got in their possession.

Buttercup's nose crinkles. She slides the tin of Butch's homemade goodies over to Mitch and Mike whose eyes light up with joy. 

"Knock yourselves out." 

The two guys cheer and share a fist bump while Buttercup plops down into her chair. Her gaze slowly searches the cafeteria until they land on the Green Rowdyruff sitting with a few of the other guys from their lacrosse team. 

_What the hell was Butch up to?_

-UD-

If Brick had a dollar for every time somebody aggravated him, he'd be able to pay off his debt to Dr. Fable. Hell, he'd be a fucking millionaire.

"Look, I know it looks bad—" 

Brick raises a hand, silencing the Green Rowdyruff from going on a meaningless ramble. 

"Save it. I don't care."

"The fuck? You don't care? Didn't you threaten me with a steak knife about passing this stupid class?" 

"If you fail, you fail." Brick shrugs. "There is only so much I can do. When Boom and I graduate, you can figure your shit out on your own." 

This was a lie. 

However, Butch didn't need to know that just yet. 

The Green Ruff narrows his gaze and Brick holds the indifferent expression he has mastered so well, feeling a little smug on the inside as his brother unsuccessfully attempts to catch his bluff.

Butch reels back a little stiffly. "I was going to tell you that I got assigned a tutor, but now I won't tell you who it is." He snaps more defensively. 

Brick rolls his eyes, turning back to his dinner. He didn't care for the trivial bait Butch was trying to hold over his head. It was no doubt some girl he found attractive and the details to that meant nothing to Brick.

A knock on the door pulls both of the brothers out of their little stand-off.

"Boomer probably forgot his keys again." 

"I say we let him suffer. Teach him a lesson so that idiot won't forget again." Butch grumbles, flopping back onto the couch with the remote already in hand. 

Brick ignores the tempting idea and swings the door open.

Apparently, Boomer did not forget his keys.

"Iris." 

The white-haired girl grins up at Brick. 

"Long time no see, Bricky Cakes!"

Brick feels his agitation level spike. Another dollar has been added to his imaginary bank account. 

"Boomer isn't home." Brick drawls, choosing to ignore the awful nickname that she seems so adamant on using. 

"Not to worry," Iris stares expectantly with big green eyes. "I don't mind waiting for him. We have plans." 

_Plans...?_

A slight frown pulls at his brows, but none-the-less Brick finds himself easing the door open to let Iris through. If it had been anyone else he would have closed the door right in their face. Unfortunately Brick didn't think he could pull such a move on the daughter of the man he owed money to.

Butch looks even more surprised to find Boomer's childhood friend standing in the middle of their apartment. 

Iris barely acknowledges him. Her gaze has been caught by the interior of their home, curiously going over every inch. "Huh, well this place hasn't changed much, has it?" She giggles.

She bounds across the room and settles back into the open spot on the couch. "What are we watching, Butchie Wutchie?" 

Butch isn't given the chance to respond as Iris gently plucks the remote out of his hand to change the channel. Butch doesn't even argue with her. He just lets it happen. 

Brick glances at the time on his phone. Boomer doesn't have practice today, but it's getting late and he isn't home yet. Where was he...?

The brother in question does not get home until after Brick has finished his dinner and was storing away the leftovers. The door to the apartment swings open and Boomer halts in his tracks when he finds three pairs of eyes staring back at him.

"Boom Bear, you're finally home! I thought you were going to leave me waiting on you forever!" Iris bounds up from the couch, springing towards the Blue Rowdyruff who is glued to his spot in front of the entryway.

The blond looks genuinely surprised. "Uhhh... you have?" 

Iris rolls her eyes, shaking her head. "Did you forget again? We have a bio test coming up and you promised we'd study together, silly!"

"Pfft, Boomer studying? Yeah fucking right." Butch cackles unintelligently from his spot on the couch. 

"That's rich coming from the guy who just failed his calculus test." Brick comments. 

Butch interjects with a growl while Iris loops an arm through Boomer's, practically dragging him back to the door.

"I know just the perfect cafe we can study at. Come on, Boom Bear." 

Boomer shoots an almost panicked look in Brick's direction. The door shuts firmly behind them.

Brick doesn't budge from his spot, eyes still trained on the exit. Boomer didn't have his swim bag with him today which confirms Brick's previous thoughts. If Boomer wasn't at swim practice all these hours then where has he been? 

Or maybe the question was with who was Boomer spending all his hours with? 

-UD- 

"Oh, Buttercup! Over here!" Robin is waving vigorously from the table she was sat at. 

Robin was currently sitting behind a giant array of goodie bags that were set up on display with a big poster up on the wall that read, "Send 1 Halloween O'gram for $3 or 2 for $5!". 

Ah, yes, Halloween candygrams. Every year, about a week before Halloween, school council sells candygrams. Essentially students could buy little Halloween-themed goodie bags for their friends or partners and they would be delivered throughout the week. They always made a big show of delivering the goods during class time to build up the excitement for the holiday. 

Mike was currently at the front of the line, writing a little note for his goodie bag that was no doubt going for his girlfriend. Buttercup snorts. He might as well just hand over the note to Robin right now.

"Hey, Robin. You've been real busy this morning, huh?" Buttercup comments, eyeing the ever-growing line forming just along the table where students were waiting in line to purchase their bags and write a message for their receiver. 

Surprisingly enough, Mitch was in line as well, writing a small note.

"Who are you buying two candygrams for?" 

"Uh, myself? Duh," Mitch replies as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Ever heard of self-love, Buttercup?" The brunet signs off the note and hands it back over to Robin.

Buttercup shakes her head. She was friends with an absolute moron. 

"Anyway," Robin laughs shaking a little bag of candy in front of Buttercup's face. "Whadya say? Wanna buy one? You don't even have to write a note if you don't want to." Robin tries to convince the Green Puff, knowing her friend all too well.

"Yeah, Buttercup, you should buy me one." 

"Dude, you literally just bought yourself two. What happened to encouraging self-love, Mitch? Plus, I'm technically not even in line." 

"Just cough up your three bucks, Buttercup." Mike laughs from off to the side and Buttercup rolls her eyes, pulling out a few dollars to hand over to Robin.

"You want to buy a second one for the discount?" Robin asks as she slides over a pen and a notecard for Buttercup to fill out.

"Oh good idea, Robin. This way I'll end up with four candygrams." 

"Nah, I'm good." 

"Oh come on! You won't even buy one for yourself?" Robin pouts.

"Nope."

"But it's candy!" Robin interjects loudly, arms flailing as she continues to shake the bag in front of Buttecup's face as if it might help get her point across. "Everyone loves candy!"

"I'm writing this out to Mike." Buttercup decides aloud, just to get on Mitch's nerves. 

Mitch gasps loudly, clearly quite offended as he flips her off. Mike looks mildly amused that he would be getting a second candygram in addition to the one he was already receiving from Robin.

Buttercup scribbles her name on the bottom of the card and hands it back to Robin. 

"Alright, I'm ditching," Buttercup pulls away from the group before Mitch can bug her about her betrayal.

"See you at lunch!" Robin smiles widely. 

First period English class goes by excruciatingly slowly. The class is still going through presentation groups for the Shakespeare book they were reading. Buttercup's group went last week so luckily she had that over with, but there were still four more groups that needed to present.

Buttercup finds herself zoning in and out of the performances, her mind drifting to the cover of her book that was sitting out on her desk. Ace Copular pops into her mind and that time he held this book over her head. 

She hasn't spoken to Ace since they hung out at Mike's place. They've crossed paths once or twice in the hallways, but Ace hasn't offered anything beyond a nod each time. Not that Buttercup was complaining. She was still muddled by his random request to skip school together that one time. 

"Sorry to interrupt!" A cheery voice cuts through the performance, successfully bringing Buttercup's attention back to the front of the room. "But we are here to deliver the Halloween candygrams!"

Mr. Clarkson gives the intruders an irritated look. The presenters were still in the middle of their scene. 

"Very well." The English teacher grumbles. The two students circulate around the class with their giant basket full of packaged candygrams, checking off the names of candygram receivers on their list.

To Buttercup's surprise, a goodie bag is dropped right onto her desk.

"One for you!" The bubbly girl smiles, not giving Buttercup a chance to interject.

Huh.

Buttercup ignores the looks she receives from her curious classmates and opens up the note that was attached to the bag that was filled with all sorts of sweets along with a coffin shaped cookie decorated in white and black icing. 

The note was blank except for the word "Enjoy" written out in delicate cursive. There wasn't even a signature from the sender.

Confused, Buttercup slowly drops the empty card. It suddenly clicks in her brain. Robin probably sent one out to Buttercup last minute. Shaking her head, Buttercup makes a mental note to thank her later at lunch and unravels the bag.

She eyes the cookie first. It looks tempting, but Buttercup decides she'll save it for later because Mr. Clarkson has a strict no eating rule. Instead, she sneaks out a green heart candy from the bag that has the words "Haunt Me" written out on the front. They look just like the ones you get for Valentine's Day, only Halloween-themed. 

Buttercup pops the little green heart into her mouth. 

The candy begins to dissolve with ease and Buttercup hums as she leans back into her chair. At the front of the class, Mr. Clarkson is getting more and more antsy for the candygram deliveries to be over with. There would no doubt be more interruptions occuring for the rest of this week, much to Mr. Clarkson's chagrin. 

Once all the goodie bags have been delivered, the older man is clapping his hands together. "Okay! Eyes back up here everyone!"

-UD-

Blossom was in the middle of reading when she feels someone sneak up behind her.

"You're late." 

"I'm not late, I just run on Butch time." The Green Ruff replies, slinging his backpack onto the table as he slides into the open chair next to the Pink Powerpuff.

He leans much closer than Blossom would prefer, peering down at the drawing of a Chimera. "That's a hefty looking book you got there. Whatcha reading?" 

Blossom clears her throat and shuts the book closed. Now was not the time for this. They needed to start as soon as possible if they hope to get Butch up to speed with the class. It didn't help that he was 10 minutes late to their very first session.

"I was doing some research." 

"On the ugly beast that attacked the school? You're _still_ hung up on that thing?" Butch leans back into his seat, feet kicking up on the table as he balances himself on the back legs of his chair.

Blossom reaches for her calculus textbook, the mythology book forgotten for the time being. 

She chooses to ignore his question. "Pull out your notebook and your test." 

"Real subtle change in conversation," Butch replies, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"I'm not trying to be subtle. Miss Keane assigned me to be your tutor. So let's focus on calculus, okay?" 

Butch raises both hands in mock surrender. "Whatever you say, Sugarplum."

Blossom slams her pencil case a little harder than she meant to against the table, startling several students within the vicinity. 

"Okay, we need to set some ground rules if we are going to continue having these tutoring sessions." 

There was no way Blossom would get through these lunches if she didn't put some rules in place. 

Butch grins mischievously. "Ooo kinky, let's hear 'em." 

"First rule, you show up on time or in other words, Blossom time. Not Butch time."

Butch opens his mouth to speak, but Blossom holds up a hand, curtly stopping him. "Next rule, no nicknames. You may address me by my first name, that's it. I'll even wear a name tag if you need some time adjusting." 

"But—" 

"Third rule," Blossom's voice comes out slightly louder, keeping her tone firm as she speaks. "We keep things professional. This is a tutoring session," A hand clamps down on the back of the chair, pulling it back down to rest on all four legs as Blossom's other hand swipes Butch's feet off the table and Butch curses loudly as he loses his balance. "So let's act like it." 

A firm smile etches onto her face as she stares expectantly at the Green Rowdyruff. "Are we clear?" 

"Jeez, are you this strict during your string quartet sessions? No wonder Brick always looks miserable after practice."

All it takes is one unimpressed look from Blossom for Butch to finally understand that he cannot sway the Pink Puff. 

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I'll follow your rules," And then under his breath, "Luckily for you, I like 'em bossy."

The end of Blossom's pencil makes contact with Butch's cheek and she effectively pushes his head in the direction of his test. She's seen Buttercup do this once. Blossom is slowly adopting Buttercup's tactics to dealing with the Green Rowdyruff and Blossom isn't sure if she should be more concerned about using these new methods or be more concerned with the fact that they actually seem to work. 

"One more comment like that and I'm leaving." 

"Okay I'm done, I swear. I think I got it all out of my system now." 

Blossom sighs, still skeptical, but she drops it for now. They've wasted enough time. 

The next forty minutes go by somewhat well. Butch keeps the obnoxiousness down to a minimum as Blossom goes over their first test and some course concepts that Butch didn't understand. 

At some point during their session, Butch pulls out a Halloween candygram from his bag. He shoves an entire skull shaped cookie into his mouth and then proceeds to silently offer the bag to Blossom, mouth still full of the baked treat.

"No thanks." 

Butch shrugs, swallowing down the cookie before he pops a green heart shaped candy into his mouth and stashes the bag away.

"Okay finish off this last question and we'll call it a day. Lunch ends in three minutes." 

Blossom's attention was drifting to the mythology book on the table when Butch speaks up.

"So... what did Butterfingers think of my baking skills? Did she lose her shit at how amazing my brownies were?" 

"She didn't. Buttercup gave the brownies to Mitch and Mike," Blossom lowers her voice, "And are you crazy?! I can't believe you gave her such a thing! What if a teacher caught either of you with those? You two could have gotten into serious trouble!"

The scribbling noise of Butch's pencil stops dead in its tracks. He looks surprised and a tiny bit offended. "Wait, what?! You're telling me Butterfingers didn't even try one? I thought everyone loved pot brownies!"

"Shhhh!" Blossom shushes loudly in alarm, catching the attention of several others. So much for trying to keep away unwanted attention.

"You might want to keep your voice down, Blossom." Butch points out and Blossom has to hold back an eyeroll as she slowly settles back into her seat.

"I stand by what I said. That was very irresponsible of you, Butch." 

"I promise to be more careful next time," Butch replies sarcastically. He pauses, going back to the question on his page. "So... Butterfingers isn't a fan of the devil's lettuce, huh?" 

Blossom decides to once again ignore his question. Instead, she was confused and a tiny bit suspicious about something else. "Why did you give them to her in the first place?" 

"Just felt like doing a good deed for once. Ya know, trying out the whole good citizen thing."

"A good deed...? And you decided your first good deed would be towards Buttercup? Of all people?" Blossom asks aloud, not quite able to wrap the words around her mind. 

"Yep. But I learned my lesson now. No more of that BS. I wasted some perfectly good pot on her and she didn't even try my masterpiece." Butch grumbles. 

The bell rings just as Butch finishes the last question. Blossom scans over it quickly, satisfied with his work and they plan to meet again, Blossom making sure to remind Butch about being on time. 

"See ya around, Sugarplum!" Butch cackles and Blossom goes to tell him off, but he is already zipping away. "Session's over, Blossom! The rules don't mean shit anymore!"

_Ugh, so much for that._

-UD-

Buttercup kicks her shoes off the door and trudges up the steps.

She felt all sweaty and gross, just coming out of practice. She could have showered at school but she flew home because she felt a little nauseous. Her body has been feeling all out of whack today and the intense exercise circuit Coach Lee made them do as warm up seemed to have made this feeling worse. Even Butch looked a little green at the end of it, not quite his obnoxious, bolstering self today, but this was new for Buttercup. Workouts like these usually had little to no effect on her. 

What was wrong with her today? 

Buttercup tries to reason it in her head as she turns the shower on. She just needs some sleep. And a shower. And maybe some food. But definitely a shower, that's for sure. 

Unfortunately, the shower does very little to soothe the discomfort that has settled into the pit of Buttercup's stomach. The nausea has subsided, but now she had a headache coming on. What the hell was going on? 

_Sleep. She just needs some sleep._

"Woah, Buttercup, are you okay? You look.... sick." Bubbles comments when she comes across her sister laying lifelessly in bed, her complexion as white as a sheet. "Let me get the Professor." She says and zips out of sight before Buttercup can stop her.

The Professor looks extremely concerned, to say the least, when he checks in on the Green Powerpuff. He places the back of his hand against her forehead and clicks his tongue in disapproval. "You're burning up, darling." 

"And she's shivering," Blossom comments off from the side. The copper-haired Powerpuff just got home from quartet practice, her violin case still in hand. 

"Some space guys," Buttercup groans, feeling swarmed and suffocated by the three heads peering down at her like they were performing a dissection. 

"Whoops, sorry." The Professor chuckles lightly, stepping back along with the other two. He looks to Bubbles. "Do you mind finding the chicken stock? I'm going to cook some soup for your sister." 

"I'm on it."

The Professor looks back at Buttercup who was now curled on her side. "It's possible that you just caught some stomach bug so just stay tight and hopefully you'll feel better with some rest and proper nutrition." 

Buttercup mumbles incoherently into her pillow.

"Buttercup, you have a lacrosse game coming up this week, don't you?" 

Another incoherent reply. 

"Well, hopefully, you get better by then. But you may have to sit this one out if you're not feeling up to par." The Professor says in a much more pointed tone, taking one last look at Buttercup in her current state.

The Green Puff sulks at this. Leave it to Buttercup to catch a bug days before the first lacrosse game. This was such bullcrap. 

"Come on, dear. We should let your sister rest." 

The Professor and Blossom finally leave, shutting the light behind them. Buttercup curls further into herself, her eyelids heavy with exhaustion. At least now she'll be able to get some sleep. 

Hopefully by tomorrow she'll feel much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Much more to come :)


	5. Diving Headfirst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a little too excited with this chapter lol. Also, I'm sorry for any mistakes, I'll be sure to fix them later when I go over the chapter. Enjoy!

Buttercup blinks slowly.

The bed creaks as she sits up. 

The room is empty. Blossom and Bubbles are nowhere to be found. The beds have been made and look to be bare of the two sisters.

Did they leave for school? 

Buttercup instantly turns to the clock on her bedside table, but she is surprised to find a black screen instead. What? What's wrong with the clock? She taps a few buttons in attempts to get it to turn on but the device stays off. It was probably broken. 

Buttercup stands from her bed, stretching her arms over her head as she makes her way downstairs. She is feeling much better today, her body free from any headaches or shivering. She felt more than ready to tackle some opposing lacrosse players.

Downstairs, Buttercup found the house to be completely empty. The Professor was probably already at the lab. Buttercup notices the time on the oven is also blank. Did they have a power outage? She flicks the switch to the kitchen. Nope, the lights are working. So why is the time on the clock not functioning? 

She pats the pockets of her sweats for her cellphone. 

Huh. Well that's really weird....

Her phone works, but it doesn't show the time. 

Sighing, she stuffs the device away. Buttercup's stomach growls loudly and she decides to grab a banana from the fruit bowl before heading back to her bedroom when the fruit slips from her hand. She is glued to the spot, noticing both entrances to the kitchen have been closed off. 

What the hell? 

The entryway she just used to get into the kitchen has just vanished. It has been replaced by a brick wall. Buttercup reaches out to touch the wall of bricks, her mind swarming with thoughts. 

"Don't panic." She whispers to herself. 

"Hello?" Buttercup calls out hesitantly and then cuses under her breath. "Nobody's home, you idiot." She mutters, feeling stupid for even trying to call for someone. 

Suddenly, there is a low rumbling noise. Buttercup freezes, eyes narrowing in on one of the newly formed barricades.

Then, to her horror, the walls begin to slowly close in.

Another rumbling sound is heard and the walls are suddenly beginning to move much faster. 

"Holy shit. Shit, shit, shit." Buttercup whips around the room. She needs to find a way out before she gets smushed to death and she better act quickly as the walls were caving in much faster with every passing second.

She instantly zips over to the sink, hands grappling at the large window above it. Buttercup pries the sliding glass open and glances back at the closing walls that were getting threateningly closer together. 

With ease, Buttercup tears off the window screen and the second layer of glass before flying right out the opening and into the backyard of the Utonium residence. 

Just as she escaped, the window magically shuts itself in one quick movement. The Green Powerpuff could not believe her eyes. It was as if the window screen and the glass had closed back on their own accord. 

Buttercup attempts to pull the glass off. It doesn't budge.

Frustrated, she bangs a heavy fist against the window with an inhuman force. Nothing happens. There isn't even a crack.

Buttercup peers through the glass and frowns. The kitchen was totally fine! The barricade of bricks was gone and the walls were back to their original spots, seemingly unmoved. Even her banana was still on the floor! 

What the actual hell was going on here? 

Buttercup's mind was spinning. She turns back to face the backyard and the Green Powerpuff is momentarily stunned.

This isn't her backyard.

Buttercup was standing outside of a classroom at her high school.

"Miss Utonium will you be joining us or do you plan to stand outside all day?" An irritated voice speaks out.

Buttercup has never been so happy to hear Mr. Clarkson's monotone voice. Without a second thought, she walks through the entry way of her English class. Buttercup is surprised to find the classroom bare of students, all except for one.

Butch.

"Take a seat." Mr. Clarkson nods vaguely to the single row of desks.

Buttercup narrows her gaze back at Butch who was eyeing her strangely. What the hell was his problem? 

She settles at a desk four seats away from Butch, figuring this would be enough distance. The board at the front has the word "DETENTION" scribbled out in giant black letters. 

She got detention? For what? She hasn't physically fought Butch on school grounds in over a year! What the hell? 

Buttercup spares a glance at Butch who was still staring at her, almost as if he was trying to figure out if she was really sitting next to him.

Wait, where did the other desks go? Buttercup could have sworn she sat four seats away from Butch, but now she was occupying the desk right next to his.

Shit. She was actually losing her mind. 

"What?" Buttercup snaps. This was getting really weird. Butch clamps his mouth shut with a grimace. 

"No talking!" Mr. Clarkson growls before he huffs and goes back to the newspaper in his hands. 

Buttercup crosses her arms over her chest, her eyes searching the room for something to occupy her mind with. Literally anything would do. 

She scans the room until she spots the clock above the doorway. The hands of the clock are gone. What kind of manufacturer makes clocks without hands? That defeats the whole purpose of being able to tell the time.

"Pssst, Butterfingers." 

Buttercup's first instinct is to ignore the Rowdyruff. Although, she never thought she'd say this, she is oddly relieved to hear his annoying voice. Her morning has been so strange, she was dying for a sense of normalcy. 

Buttercup angles her head towards the Green Ruff, raising an eyebrow in question. 

Butch nods towards the exit and begins to stand from his seat.

The Powerpuff is about to call him an idiot when she realizes Mr. Clarkson has slumped over his seat, low snores escaping his sedated form. Huh. Well that's convenient. 

Buttercup rises from her desk and joins Butch who was expectantly waiting for her by the doorway. They are going to get into a shit ton of trouble when Mr. Clarkson wakes up and finds out the two detainees are missing, but Buttercup will just deal with the consequences later.

Once in the hallway, Butch shuts the door. 

They both let out an exhale. 

"Well, see ya." Buttercup mumbles, turning to leave.

"Wait!" A hand clasps itself around her upper arm, holding her back.

Buttercup sets a murderous glare upon Butch for touching her. The Ruff drops her arm, rolling his eyes in response. 

"Where are you even going?" 

Buttercup pauses. To be honest, she wasn't sure about the answer to that question. The school seemed to be dead silent, almost as if there wasn't anyone else in the building except for the two of them and a sleeping Mr. Clarkson. 

"I want to find my sisters." Buttercup partially admits.

"They ain't here, Butterfingers." 

"How do you know that?" 

"Because I already checked." 

"You were looking for my sisters?" 

"Nah, but I couldn't find my brothers. And this place is basically a ghost town," Butch spares a look to the room where they left a napping English teacher, "Besides that dude, I guess." 

"Wait, how did you get to school?" Buttercup realizes this is a stupid question out of context, however, she wasn't all too sure how she got here herself. One moment she's in her backyard and the next thing she knows, she is standing outside of the classroom with no recollection of how she ended up at the high school.

Butch scratches his head in thought. "I'm... not sure?" He slowly speaks, almost as if he was trying to piece together the events that lead him to this point in time.

This was all so weird. 

"Give me your phone." 

"Huh?" 

Impatiently, Buttercup reaches for the cellphone sticking out of Butch's jacket pocket. He doesn't even get a chance to snap at her as she quickly turns the cell on. Of course, she doesn't find anything. Sighing, Buttercup holds out the useless device. 

Butch snatches it back. "Don't you have your own phone, Butterfingers?" 

"I do, but the time isn't showing up. I'm just going to assume that you were too busy being an idiot to even notice." 

Buttercup holds up her own phone for Butch to inspect. His eyes widen and he glances down at his own device.

"No, uh, I didn't." He sheepishly admits and Buttercup rolls her eyes. Of course. 

"Well, it seems like there's no way to tell the time here." Buttercup grumbles.

There's a moment of awkward silence between them. 

"The walls of my bedroom were closing in on me this morning. I had to fly out of the building before I was flattened to death, but I couldn't get back in." Butch is speaking out loud, talking more-so to himself.

"Wait, that happened to you, too?" 

Butch frowns. "Yeah... and then I just ended up in this hell hole. What the fuck??" 

"Something's not right..." Buttercup mumbles, earning a snort from Butch. 

"Yeah, no shit, Butterfingers." 

Buttercup is about to tell him off when the door to the classroom swings open with a loud bang. This sends both teenagers jumping back in alarm.

In the doorway, Mr. Clarkson is glaring at them.

"You naughty students, detention isn't over yet." He growls in a demonic voice that definitely did not belong to the 60 year-old English teacher Buttercup had come to know. 

"Uhhhhh, I don't think this is normal." 

"No shit!" Buttercup echoes, eyeing the dark green and black scales that were beginning to form along her English teacher's exposed skin.

"Um, Mr. Clarkson... you're not looking too good." 

More scales are growing. The man was rapidly transforming right in front of their eyes. 

Mr. Clarkson's head twitches and Buttercup watches in horror as her English teacher begins to grow into a very large and grotesque looking reptilian-man.

A terrifying long and slimy tongue slips out its open mouth. "Why do you ssssay that, Misss Utonium?" The reptilian hisses.

What the actual hell.

Buttercup's natural instinct is to stay and fight, however, something deep within her is telling her that she would have bigger issues if she stood her ground to fight. Apparently Butch felt the same way.

"Oh hell no!" Butch shouts and without a second thought, he clasps a hand around Buttercup's wrist, dragging her away from the reptilian-man.

"Come back here! It's lunch time and I am ssstarving!" The creature demands, determinedly chasing after them like the predator it was. Unfortunately for Buttercup and Butch, they were identified as its prey.

Buttercup begins to shoot lasers at the creature in attempt to slow it down while allowing Butch to lead the way. The two teenagers turn the corner and to their surprise, come face to face with three more hissing reptilians.

"Shit." 

"Capture them!" Mr. Clarkson growls. 

Buttercup shoots another beam of lasers at the three that begin to move for them. Behind them, the reptilian Mr. Clarkson extends his viciously sharp and long forked tongue like a weapon. The muscular organ flattens up against the green force field that Butch pulls up, attempting to reach through it and drag them out. 

"The door," Butch urges and the two teenagers make a run for it, forcing their way through the set of double doors that lead to the back of the school.

In the midst of their escape, Buttercup trips and manages to drag Butch down with her. The doors shut behind them with one heavy swing, barricading them from the hissing reptilians on the other side. The creatures begin to bang against the heavy set doors in pure fury.

To Buttercup's relief, the doors don't seem to budge. Whatever is going on, it seems to have sealed the creatures from getting out. This meant that the two teenagers wouldn't become lunch to a gang of reptilians today. How nice.

The only issue now was figuring out where to go next.

"Where... where are we?" Buttercup whispers as she sits up on the ground.

She thought they were running outside, but they weren't even on school grounds anymore. It seems like they aren't even anywhere to begin with it. All Buttercup sees is an extending tunnel.

The tunnel looks to be continuous, something that has no end. 

Every inch of the space was black with light purple grid lines extending onwards. Pink fog circulates around the space. Buttercup reaches out hesitantly, touching the cloud of smoke that was floating alongside her. Nothing happens. She can't even feel it. 

Further away, a giant light pink fog awaits them. 

"What the hell is that?" Butch asks the question on her mind.

"I don't know." 

Butch huffs and Buttercup gets onto her feet. She starts walking down the tunnel.

"Wait, you're actually going to go through it? Are you mad?!" 

"Yeah." Buttercup replies. She might as well. It's not like they had any other options, at least, not unless they wanted to go back into the school and hang out with the carnivorous reptiles. If Butch wanted to do that then he was more than welcome, but Buttercup had other plans.

"Oh, what the hell." Butch grunts and flies over to reach Buttercup. As if the fog could sense their movement, it begins to move much faster in their direction. 

Side by side, Butch and Buttercup share a look of uncertainty as the fog approaches, enveloping them in a cloud of pink smoke. The last thing Buttercup sees is the green of Butch's eyes before the smoke passes over her head. 

There's a loud ringing noise.

Buttercup sits up in bewilderment and reaches to shut off the source of the noise. 

The Green Powerpuff's hands feel around the space and Buttercup is surprised to find herself sitting on her bed. What the hell? 

She is even more surprised to find the time on her alarm blinking back at her. It was 7AM. Buttercup slowly turns to the rest of the room. Blossom was already up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. Bubbles' bed was empty.

Somewhere upstairs, the flush of the toilet goes off as an answer to Buttercup's thoughts. 

Buttercup lets her head fall back against the pillow. 

It was all a dream.

Suddenly, Buttercup felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. That was one of the strangest dream she has ever experienced. The weirdest part was that it just felt so... _real._

The Green Puff groans, running her hands over her face in dismay. She was absolutely drained. It genuinely felt like she got zero sleep last night and all she wants to do is stay in bed for the rest of the day and try to forget the details of that dream.

She shudders at the memory of the events. She couldn't believe Butch, of all people, had been in there. It was bad enough that she had to deal with the Green Rowdyruff in real life, it wasn't necessary to have to put up with him in her dreams.

_More like a nightmare,_ Buttercup thinks to herself as she kicks the covers off herself.

"Good morning." Blossom says, adjusting the bow in her hair.

"Morning..." Buttercup replies, eyeing her sister for a moment before shaking away the strange feeling that was beginning to grow inside of her.

Blossom turns away from the mirror to take a long look at Buttercup. She seems surprised. "Wow, you look much better than you did last night! How are you feeling, Buttercup?" 

"Oh," Buttercup halts and rolls her shoulders with a shrug. Honestly... she felt so much better. No nausea, no headache, no shivers. Nothing. She just felt extremely sleep deprived.

"I'm feeling way better." 

"Well that's a relief! You'll probably be able to play the game this week as well." Blossom smiles.

Buttercup nods slowly. She was still a little paranoid, practically waiting for the walls to try and close in on her again or for Blossom to turn into some walking lizard. That doesn't happen.

_Jeez, get a grip on yourself,_ Buttercup bitterly thinks to herself as she reaches for a clean t-shirt. 

At least she was feeling better.

-UD-

Bubbles arrives to the group's usual lunch table to find everyone buzzing with excitement and not just because the first lacrosse game was happening tomorrow, but because of the upcoming Halloween Haunt happening in Townsville this Saturday.

News had broken out this morning that Townsville's Amusement Park was opening up on Halloween night for a special event called Halloween Haunt. The park usually closes by the end of September and reopens every May, but it seems that this year they would be opening for a special event. 

"Rollercoasters, mazes, funnel cakes, performing actors dressed up to scare the shit out of you," Mike is rambling on, "They're even decorating the whole place to fit the spooky vibe. It's gonna be sick!"

"Oh my gosh, that sounds so fun! We have to go!" Robin urges. 

Buttercup shrugs. "I'm down." 

"Same," Mitch takes a loud slurp from his soda, "I'll text Ace and let him know we're going." 

Mike turns to the other two sisters. "Bubbles? Blossom?" 

"Sure." Blossom replies without any convincing. It was a Halloween miracle! 

"Duh!" Bubbles grins already excited for upcoming event. 

From across the room, Bubbles catches sight of Boomer and reaches for her phone. While all her friends were busy chattering about their Saturday night plans, Bubbles takes the opportunity to send a sneaky text to her boyfriend.

**To Boomie:** _this saturday night. you, me. halloween haunt at townsville amusement park. a little meet up. what do you think???_

Across the room, Boomer pauses in mid bite of his sandwich at the sound of his phone buzzing. His face lights up at the incoming text from Bubbles. The Blue Puff bites her lip, anxiously waiting for his response.

**From Boomie:** _Bubbs, I'm down for anything that allows me to see your adorable smile_

Bubbles can't hold back said smile that breaks out on her lips. She takes a deliberate sip from her drink. Boomer smirks very knowingly at the Powerpuff's obvious cover up. 

Her phone buzzes with another in-coming text.

**From Boomie:** _But I also already promised I would go with Iris when she asked me this morning, but I can definitely meet with you :-)_

Bubbles feels her excitement deflate like a punctured balloon. 

Boomer was going with Iris...? 

Huh. 

She wasn't quite sure why, but for some reason this made Bubbles feel a little... dejected? Oh gosh, was she turning into one of those crazy girlfriends? She shivers at that thought. No, no way. Plus, Boomer and Iris were friends, childhood friends at that. It made sense that Iris would ask him to hang out. 

It's just... Bubbles couldn't help but feel somewhat crestfallen. The secrecy of her and Boomer's relationship has really begun to take a toll on her yet every time she tries to muster up the courage to talk to her sisters, a giant lump lodges itself in her throat and she chickens out.

Her relationship with Boomer was important to her. Boomer was incredibly important to her. But so were her sisters. They'd no doubt be upset to find out that Bubbles has been keeping something so important a secret from them. It scared her because at times, she wasn't sure if they would see eye to eye with her reasoning. She feared that they wouldn't understand the relationship she has built with the Rowdyruff.

At the end of the day, Blossom and Buttercup saw Boomer as a Rowdyruff. An archnemesis since childhood. 

Not even a childhood friend, but an enemy they had to defeat for the greater good of Townsville. 

Bubbles didn't see him like that.

When she looks at the blond boy with the impish blue eyes, all she finds is a misunderstood teenager with a soft heart buried underneath the front he and his brothers have built. A boy with hopes and dreams beyond the confinements of the box that Mojo Jojo, Townsville, her sisters, and even a young and incredibly naive Bubbles have shoved him into. 

All she sees is Boomer. 

For Bubbles, it just felt so silly to let a childhood rivalry dictate such a thing. They were all grown! And it is not as if the Rowdyruffs were still actively trying to kill them! Okay, so maybe sometimes Butch and Buttercup come close enough to doing so, but it's more so because one pissed the other off, not because there was an intent.

Her phone buzzes again.

**From Boomie:** _Earth to Bubbs! You alright over there??_

Bubbles shakes away the thoughts that have been eating at her and finds Boomer's concerned blue eyes watching her from across the cafeteria. Her fingers are quickly formulating a response.

**To Boomie:** _whoops, sorry bout that! & ok sounds like a plan! _

Bubbles slips her phone away, taking another sip of her drink as she watches Buttercup and Blossom from across the table. The infamous lump has found its way back to its usual spot and Bubbles tries to force it back down. 

She will tell her sisters. She has to. She just doesn't know when she'll have the strength to do so and it was eating her alive. 

-UD-

Brick was early to practice.

The door to the practice room was open by just a crack, allowing the melodic sounds of a violin to slip through.

Instead of walking right in, Brick finds himself glued to the spot, listening intently. He recognizes the familiar tune of Clair De Lune filling the empty hallway. 

Unaware of his actions, Brick leans closer to the door, his mind and body out of sync from one another. 

Out of context, he must look like a real creep.

Sure enough, the violinist was perched on the end of her chair, long copper coloured hair swaying gently alongside their movements. 

Something pulls at the inside of Brick's chest. A faint memory of a young Blossom Utonium practicing the solo piece in an empty classroom right before the spring concert. The only reason she got that piece was because both Blossom and Brick had the highest marks in the class and their middle-school music teacher claimed they had to pick one of their names out of a hat to decide on who gets the solo. 

Anyway, Blossom had made the mistake of leaving her violin unattended for two minutes to go the bathroom. A young and troublesome Brick saw this as a prime opportunity to meddle.

Blossom came back to find the strings of her violin cut and ruined. Upset, the copper-haired girl had accused Brick without a moment of doubt. Brick fought back at her for the accusation and their music instructor had to step in before the situation could escalate any further.

The Powerpuff was given a spare violin to carry out her performance and Brick was hesitantly let off because Blossom had no direct proof of the Rowdyruff breaking her strings, but she never let her violin out of her sight after that day. That, however, did not stop Brick from trying to mess with Blossom. 

"Brick?" 

Blossom was staring expectantly at Brick from across the room, her violin lowered. 

Brick flinches. He didn't even realize the music had stopped. 

"Why are you lurking in the shadows?" Blossom asks, eyeing him suspiciously.

Brick's jaw clenches. _Damn it, Utonium._ Now she's going to think he was eavesdropping on her, not like she isn't already suspicious of him. 

"I wasn't lurking in the shadows." The Rowdyruff retorts.

"Hm, care to explain what you were doing then?" 

Brick ignores her. Instead, he works at silently setting up his stand and music sheet before unpacking his viola from its case. 

The lingering tension in the room was at an all-time high. 

The two Reds haven't so much as said a word to one another since the night of the party and after Princess dropped that bomb on them in the middle of the hallway. Not that it matters, the two teenagers seem to prefer to limit their interactions to a minimum, but these quartet sessions made it quite challenging.

Finally, after what feels like forever, Jonathan and Via show up. They were late.

"Took you two long enough." Brick scoffs and Via's smile falters.

"Seriously, Brick? Would it kill you to be a little more polite?" 

Brick glares at his counterpart. "I wasn't talking to you so stay out of it, Utonium."

"They're your group members..." She is speaking slowly, as if she is talking to a child. Brick hates when she does that. "Don't you think you owe them a little more respect?" 

"They were late," Brick drawls in a flat tone. "Some of us have lives to get back to outside of this quartet." 

"He's right, that was our bad, but I promise it won't happen again..." Jonathan awkwardly trails off, looking between the two Reds who didn't seem to be paying attention to anything he had just said.

"So that automatically gives you the right to be rude about it?" Blossom counters.

Brick scoffs loudly. "Oh, get off your high horse, Utonium, you would have acted the same way if I showed up even a minute late." 

The Pink Powerpuff is appalled. "No, Brick, you're wrong about that. Unlike you, not all of us lose our tempers and feel the need to put others down for every little mistake."

"Lose my temper? Put others down for their mistakes?" Brick echoes in disbelief. He can feel his anger bubbling to the surface with every passing second. "Are you kidding me? Have you met you? You're the Queen of patronizing! Or have you forgotten your role as a condescending Powerpuff?" The edge in his voice is bitter and callous. 

"Me? Patronizing?" Blossom gasps. "And I am not condescending! Defending Townsville and its citizens from evil-doing is not the same thing as calling you out on your atrocious attitude!"

The two students had transitioned into a full-blown argument. Jonathan steps forward a little hesitantly. "Um, guys...?" 

The cellist goes by ignored, or rather, his concern is drowned out by Brick's rebuttal.

"Give me a break, Utonium, do you seriously think I believe any of that high and mighty bullshit? Just admit it, you're a conceited and condescending brat who always feels the need to step in, even when the opposing side is in the right because you're such an oh so glorious Powerpuff!" 

"Guys."

"Of course you of all people would paint the title of a Powerpuff as a bad thing! But you know what, Brick? Your words mean nothing to me because all of this is coming from a guy who refuses to admit that he is a blatant, arrogant jerk! Someone who cannot stand the idea of being wrong and feels the need to prove himself by putting everyone else beneath him!" 

"GUYS!" Via suddenly shouts.

"What?!"

Brick and Blossom freeze the moment they find themselves back to reality and out of their heated argument. 

Behind a very worried looking Via and Jonathan, Mr. Reynolds was standing in the doorway. There was something in between shock and disappointment written all over his face. 

To make matters much direr, Vice Principle Hernandez was standing right next to him with her arms crossed over her chest. The woman looks less than impressed. Brick notices Blossom visibly deflate, her anger subsiding as she realizes what they've gotten themselves into.

"My office," Mrs. Hernandez snaps. "Now." 

-UD-

"I don't even know what to say," Mr. Reynolds is looking between the two Reds who were seated side by side in the Vice Principle's office. "I am genuinely at a loss for words. What the heck happened back there, you guys?" 

"Miss Utonium, Mr. Jojo, I believe your teacher asked you a question." Mrs. Hernandez voices after a moment of silence. 

"It... it was a mistake. We got into a little disagreement—" 

Brick scoffs and Mrs. Hernandez sets her harsh stare at him. Brick clamps his jaw closed and slumps back into his seat. 

"And it got out of hand." Blossom finishes solemnly. She could not believe what had happened. She didn't even realize how madly everything was unraveling. One second she and Brick were bickering and the next thing she knows, they're having a full on dispute, practically at each other's throats.

It made Blossom frustrated. She was never like this, not unless Brick was involved. It was as if her counterpart had some special talent at riling Blossom up beyond what she thought was even plausible.

Mr. Reynolds leans back against the desk. "You do realize I'll have to pull you both out of the quartet, right?" 

Blossom literally feels her heart drop. Brick looks to be at a loss for words. "....What?"

Mr. Reynolds shrugs casually. "You two have shown that working together is an issue and I can't have that. It's not fair to your fellow members so I'll just have to find replacements."

"How is that even fair?" 

Mr. Reynolds gives Brick a pointed look. "Because I said so. Maybe you both should have thought of that before you two decided to get into a childish argument." 

Blossom felt sick. They were going to lose their spots on the quartet for the Winter show. All because their inability to get along was finally catching up with them. This was such a mess. Blossom felt ashamed. 

"Frankly, I am surprised and disappointed to see this kind of behaviour coming from you, Miss Utonium." Mrs. Hernandez supplies and Blossom feels an even bigger wave of shame wash over her. 

"Mr. Jojo, I am well aware of your past so this does not come out to be very shocking," Mrs. Hernandez sighs and Brick stiffens, his jaw locking, but he stays eerily quiet. 

"However," Mrs. Hernandez continues. "I do not see this to be fair on you, Miss Utonium, considering your candidacy for Townsville Conservatory." 

Something in the Vice Principle's words stung and Blossom doesn't miss the way Brick's demeanor darkens. Brick was also on that list. Did she really not realize this?

"Uh, actually Mrs. Hernandez, Brick is also a candidate for Townsville Conservatory." Mr. Reynolds corrects.

"Oh," Mrs. Hernandez frowns, slightly taken aback. "I suppose that makes sense... I must have missed that." She murmurs and Mr. Reynolds nods. Blossom was confused. Did the VP really not realize Brick's standing in school? Brick was practically Blososm's biggest competitor whether it be around music or around having the highest grades. The two of them always seem to be neck and neck.

"Very well." Mrs. Hernandez interlocks her hands on the big wooden desk, "I believe you two are very much capable of fixing your attitudes if not for the sake of your other team members, then for your futures. Consider this your first warning." 

Blossom feels her body start to relax. They were getting one last chance. 

Mr. Reynolds nods. "Make that your first and final warning. I know you're both wonderful and highly capable students so I do not see why you wouldn't be able to get along. How about it?" 

-UD-

Boomer searches the busy stands, looking for a particular set of pretty blue eyes and flowing blonde hair. 

His attentive brother eyes him with narrowed eyes. "Who are you looking for?" 

"Nobody." Boomer replies briskly, tearing his gaze away from the crowd of buzzing students and parents. Brick arches a single eyebrow at his suddenly defensive tone.

Boomer tries to not come off as too guilty. "I'm just trying to figure out where we should sit." 

"Right," Brick drawls before turning towards the stands. 

Boomer stays quiet, not wanting to have all of Brick's attention on him. Ever since Brick's ass almost got thrown out of the quartet, the guy has been even more on edge.

Boomer wants to steer clear from Brick's quiet fury. It made Brick ten times more frightening.

On their way up, Boomer finally catches sight of his girlfriend. She was sitting closer up front with Blossom and a dark haired man who was no doubt the Professor. He gulps a little nervously, recalling the terrifying aura of the Professor. 

Despite how kind he is, it is as if the Professor had a switch that flips any time a boy gets within a foot of any of his daughters. Beneath that well-polished smile was a warning that screamed, "Touch a single hair on any of their heads and I'll disintegrate you to dust".

Boomer plans on vehemently avoiding that man for as long as time permits. 

Brick seems adamant on making the two of them sit all the way in the back, in the two seats furthest from the Utoniums, when a voice calls out, "Boom Bear over here!" 

Sure enough, Iris is sitting in the stands, only four rows back from the Utoniums, waving vigorously at the brothers. 

"Um, you wanna go or...?" 

Brick gruffly pushes past Boomer and heads towards the white-haired girl without uttering a word. Huh, well that took much less convincing than expected.

Boomer follows up the steps until he reaches Iris. She was all decked out in the school colours, a big smile on her face. "Why were you two going all the way to the back? These seats are so much better." 

Brick doesn't bother to reply as he plops his ass down onto the bench. Boomer shrugs lightly and takes the open seat between the two. Thankfully, Iris doesn't question it any further. 

Out on the field, Boomer spots Butch underneath his helmet, huddled up with the other lacrosse players, each one of them hanging onto every word Coach Lee was saying. On the other end, the rival school players were also formed in a group, probably getting a very similar pep talk from their own coach.

A gust of wind blows and Boomer stuffs his hands further into the pockets of his jacket. It was getting pretty chilly these past few weeks and of course, the lacrosse game was happening on the coldest night of the week. 

Finally, after what feels like forever, the lacrosse game starts. Apparently these games go on for an hour or so and then there would be a 20 minute intermission. Boomer was hoping to catch Bubbles at some point during the intermission if he gets the chance. 

"OOOH!" The crowd yells just as one of the Townsville High players gets tackled rather harshly by someone from the opposing team. Boomer cringes, _jeez that must have hurt._

The other team was also kicking Townsville's ass and they haven't even reached halftime yet. 

Boomer watches as Buttercup gets ahold of the ball, making a break for the other end of the field. 

Four rows away, the Utonium family are shouting, "Come on, Buttercup!" Bubbles was even holding up a home-made sign with bright purple letters and what looked to be like a whole ton of glitter.

The Green Puff is almost there when she gets intercepted, losing control of the ball that rolls high over her head and into the hold of an opposing player. 

Another breeze blows and Iris visibly shivers. Boomer glances at her, taking in her form and the lack of fall gear she had on. "You didn't bring a hat or anything?" 

Iris shakes her head, eyes wide. "I didn't think I would need to..." Another breeze hits them and Boomer suddenly remembers the beanie he keeps in the inner pocket of his jacket. He drops it in her lap and Iris smiles widely. 

"Aww, thank you, Boom Bear!"

"Don't mention it," He turns back to the game just in time to witness Townsville make a successful shot. 

"SCOREEEEE!" The crowd is finally screaming, happy that their team wasn't getting pummeled by the Citiesville team.

Finally, intermission gets called. So far Townsville High is losing to the Citiesville school and Boomer snorts, thinking of how pissed Butch will be if they don't win tonight. 

From the front, Bubbles has gotten up from her seat and was making her way to the concession stands. 

Without a second thought, Boomer stands as well. Iris is the first to notice. "Wait, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna get a corndog." 

Iris starts to get up, "I'll come with you!"

"No, no, that's okay, I want to go to the bathroom real quick anyway and the line up might be long so who knows how long I'll be," The Blue Ruff is rambling, trying to maneuver his limbs over the seats, "Just sit tight! I'll bring you a corndog!" He calls out before either Iris or Brick can interject. 

As he leaves, Boomer can feel Brick's intent gaze set on the back of his head. The Rowdyruff ducks into the crowd of people and prays Brick doesn't tell him off for leaving him with Iris by himself.

They'll be fine. 

-UD-

Bubbles almost drops her bag of fresh popcorn when she feels an unexpected hand touch her shoulder.

"Oh my gosh, you startled me!" She lets out a breath of relief when she comes face to face with Boomer. She was so caught up in the delicious treat she didn't even hear him sneak up on her. 

"Sorry," He smiles impishly and swiftly steals a few pieces of popcorn from the bag, plucking them into his mouth.

"Thief." Bubbles comments and Boomer beams at her with pride.

Bubbles glances quickly over at the crowd. Blossom was somewhere in the long line up getting drinks which means Bubbles had a little bit of time before her sister would come looking for her.

She starts heading towards the very back of the stands, "Come on," She whispers and Boomer follows without question. 

At the back and away from any peering eyes, Bubbles allows herself to relax. Her heart was racing considering how risky it was to sneak away with Boomer like this, but she was just happy to be able to see her boyfriend, even if it was only for a few short minutes. 

"Oh, Bubbs, your ears are pink." Boomer notes, reaching up with his hands to cup her cold ears. 

Bubbles laughs lightly, "Oh yeah, can you believe I forgot my earmuffs? I think I left them in my locker." She pauses, pouting, "At least I hope I did. Those were my favourite pair, I'm going to be so sad if I lost them." 

Boomer chuckles lowly, using his fingers to massage the cartilage of her ears. The look in his eyes was endearing and Bubbles feels her cheeks warm up at this. 

"I'm sure you didn't lose them. Also, I'd give you my hat, but I sort of gave it away." Boomer chuckles again. He pulls his hands back to cup them around his mouth, warming them with his breath before they're pressed back against Bubbles's ears, seemingly much warmer.

"You're so sweet, Boomie." 

This pulls a smile from the Rowdyruff as he continues to rub affectionately at Bubbles's ears and then gently at her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. 

"It's because you're rubbing off on me."

"No," Bubbles disagrees, "This is all you." 

-UD- 

Boomer returns to the stands with three corn dogs. He was late, the game having resumed over ten minutes ago, but he didn't care. It's as if every time he's around Bubbles, he gets an extra boost of energy.

Luckily for Boomer, Brick seems to be fine. A little grumpier than before Boomer left him, but nothing that the Blue Ruff couldn't deal with.

Boomer hands one corn dog to Iris and then holds the other one out to Brick in an attempt to cheer him up.

The Red Rowdyruff silently accepts the treat.

"You're welcome." Boomer says to which Brick mutters a low, "Shut the fuck up, dickhead." The Blue Rowdyruff chuckles, turning his attention back to the game. 

Surprisingly enough, Townsville's team was starting to catch up. By the end of the game, they managed to tie it. Apparently, in lacrosse, they don't end in ties so the teams had to battle in a sudden death where the first team to score the point wins. 

Unfortunately, the Citiesville team made the score. 

"Yikes," Boomer whistles. "Butch is probably losing his mind right now." 

-UD-

Buttercup pulls back her helmet and huffs.

Her hair was drenched in sweat with several loose strands that have escaped from her ponytail sticking to the sides of her face. 

Despite the cold, her body was all warmed up from the constant running and falling she went through during the game. Buttercup reaches for the elbow pads on either side and tears them off, dropping them on the bench. She decides she'll just pack away her gear and shower at home. Her family can crank open a window if the smell of her sweat becomes too unbearable.

Once all her gear is packed up, Buttercup heads out the girl's change room, just as Butch was exiting the boy's change room.

Their eyes meet for a split, awkward second. Before either of them can freeze up like they've done so earlier, Buttercup does them both a favour by leaving first.

_Damn it, why does he keep popping up?_

Ever since Buttercup had that dream, it felt like Butch was everywhere. There has also been an awkward tension between them that Buttercup didn't quite understand. 

At first, Buttercup didn't think too much of it. She usually ignored Butch unless he was being a total asshole and then she'd fight back, but this time Butch kept glancing at her strangely, almost as if he knew something in regards to the dream that has been playing in her head on an endless loop, and it made Buttercup uncomfortable. 

This was not like either of them. 

The Greens usually argue, throwing insults at each other or even their fists, but this tension was something different and Buttercup couldn't understand why.

Not to mention, the two of them have been on their worst game ever. Even Coach Lee was shocked. "Damn it, you two, wake up! Are you two getting enough sleep or are my drills boring you?" He had shouted when he noticed them slacking during practice. 

It wasn't until that moment that Buttercup had realized Butch looked almost as exhausted as she felt. The Green Ruff was so tired he even got hit in the head by somebody else's lacrosse stick because he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. 

And to make things weirder, Buttercup would occasionally catch him staring at her. And when she did, he'd look away as if Buttercup didn't totally catch him or freeze up and avoid her like the plague. There were no rude insults, no hitting, he didn't even bother to flip her off. 

Buttercup knew she shouldn't complain. If anything, it was a miracle that the two of them weren't at each other's throats, but something was odd... Buttercup knew exactly why she was avoiding Butch, but what the hell was Butch acting so weird around her for? 

Was she imagining all this? Was it only in her head that Butch was acting so weird? Buttercup couldn't tell anymore. 

Buttercup finds her family waiting outside by the stands, all three of them with matching smiles on their faces. "There's our girl! You did amazing, darling!" The Professor looks cheery, opening his arms for a congratulatory hug.

"But we lost." 

"Oh, shush." His arms go around her, squeezing her tightly. After a few seconds, Buttercup tries to pull away, but the Professor only tightens his grip.

"Uhhh, Professor?" Buttercup's voice comes out slightly muffled.

"I just want you to know that the only reason I am letting this slide, as in you participating on the boy's lacrosse team is because I know you, and your sisters, are very capable of protecting yourselves." He says in a low voice, "But the second you need me, I will come with blasters blazing. You hear me?" 

This earns a genuine chuckle from Buttercup. She pats the Professor's back. "I hear ya, Professor. Thanks." 

The Professor chuckles and releases her. He takes ahold of Buttercup's lacrosse bag and nods in the direction of the parking lot. "Come on, girls. I have a special dinner prepared for us at home that I'd think you'd all enjoy."

-UD-

Buttercup flicks on the light to the bathroom and sighs, rubbing at her eyes. She was physically and mentally exhausted. She opens the tap to run her toothbrush under the water and when Buttercup lifts her head up to the mirror, she jumps back three feet and almost falls into the shower.

"Butch?!"

On the other side of the mirror, Butch Jojo was staring at her, mouth agape with toothpaste smeared over the sides of his mouth. The Green Ruff shakes his head and leans forward to spit in his sink. "Wha da fuhk." He sputters over a stream of water coming from his open tap. 

When Butch remerges, the two Greens are caught in a stare-off.

"Hang on," Buttercup mutters, turning to reach for the doorknob. Surprisingly, the door opens with ease. Buttercup wasn't sure what she was expecting. Maybe another wall to randomly appear and threaten to squash her to death.

Buttercup turns back to the mirror. "Can you see my surroundings?" 

"Yeah..." Butch mutters. "Your curtains are hideous." Buttercup glances back at the flower shower curtains Bubbles had picked out. The Blue Puff would be very upset to hear this.

Curiously, the Rowdyruff leans closer towards the mirror and reaches a hand out towards the glass. 

Buttercup watches as his fingers brush against the mirror. Butch yelps, cursing under his breath as he yanks his hand back towards himself, shaking it. 

"Holy shit that hurt like a bitch!" 

"Sooo, we can see each other, but we can't cross over to each other?"

"Seems like it." 

"Weird." Buttercup grunts. She turns to leave the bathroom. "I can't deal with this right now. See ya!"

"Wait, Butterfingers-" Buttercup slams the door to the bathroom shut. 

She lets out a breath. 

It was a dream. 

This time, she was sure of it. Does this mean she was lucid dreaming? 

Buttercup heads to the direction of her bedroom. Inside, she finds the room empty. Her sisters weren't here. She doubts any of her family members were actually home. 

"Soooo, this is what the Powerpuff's bedroom looks like." 

Buttercup whips her head so fast to the side she's surprised she didn't give herself whiplash.

To her annoyance, Butch was peering into the bedroom through the body-length mirror perched up on the wall. He whistles loudly, his eyes scanning across the room shamelessly.

"Wow." He's laughing now, "I would have never thought you would have so many stuffed animals."

"Those belong to Bubbles." Buttercup replies dryly.

"Of course they belong to, Blondie," Butch smirks and as his gaze continues to linger, Buttercup finds herself looking into his surroundings.

Behind the Ruff, Buttercup could make out a single bed and dark sheets. The closet was wide open with an array of clothing scattered all over the bedroom, a growing pile right at the foot of the bed. The most surprising thing in Butch's bedroom was the desk. Buttercup doubts Butch ever uses it.

"Can you stop being such a fucking creep?" Buttercup's annoyance is growing with every passing second.

"Can't help it," Butch has a stupid expression etched out onto his face, "I mean, I'm getting a sneak peek into Blossom Utonium's bedroom!" He's cackling loudly.

Buttercup growls and for a moment, she considers breaking the glass. It's not like it would matter. She was dreaming all of this.

Maybe she could dream Butch away.

Buttercup stares intently at Butch, imagining a giant eraser that would swoop in and effectively erase him out of the picture. 

Nothing happens.

Butch grimaces. "What the hell is wrong with your face?" 

"Shut up," Buttercup mutters, "I'm trying to concentrate." 

"Your concentration face makes you look constipated." 

"Dude, can you just shut up already?" She was staring even harder now.

"Why don't you shut up? And stop looking at me like that! It's fucking weird!"

Buttercup sighs and lets her face relax. It was pointless. For whatever reason, she couldn't get rid of Butch. This means she's stuck with him until... until when? Until she wakes up? Shit. How much longer would that be? 

Buttercup finally decides to sit on the floor because she has nothing better to do at this point. She turns away from the mirror, resting her face against her knees.

"I don't understand." Buttercup grumbles against her legs.

The room is uncomfortably silent. 

Buttercup raises her head. 

Damn it, she's changed locations without realizing it. How does this keep happening? 

No longer in the comfort of her bedroom, Buttercup was now sitting on an ever-stretching layer of ice. A frozen lake, to be more specific.

Her butt was getting noticeably numb and Buttercup slowly rises to her feet. 

"Be careful," A voice grunts, "It's really fucking slippery." 

Buttercup turns to find Butch standing a few feet away, rubbing his side after a presumable fall. 

So they were still stuck together. Ugh.

"I don't understand," Buttercup repeats. She felt like she was going crazy. Why were they here? Was there even a way to get out of this place? All she could see was the frozen lake, not a single inch of land in sight.

Out of nowhere, Butch stomps his foot across the ice.

Buttercup's breath hitches. To her relief, nothing happens. She heaves out a heavy breath. The idiot could have broken the—

**CRACK!**

One second Butch is standing on the ice and in the next, he has fallen through the freshly cracked lake.

"Butch!" Buttercup screams, her feet moving to get to the hole that the Green Ruff slipped through. She was struggling, the ice was too slippery and the crack was continuing to grow, extending from where Butch's foot first made contact with the surface.

Buttercup tries for the air and is relieved when she realizes she can fly. She zips over the open hole and peers into the dark waters. She can't see him. She can't find Butch! 

"Butch!" She's screaming again but it's no help. 

"Fuck this," Buttercup mutters and before she can regret it, Buttercup is diving headfirst into the lake. 

The water is ice cold. Buttercup feels her insides scream in agonizing pain from the pressure that the freezing water was exerting against her body, but she forces herself to push the feeling away and scan the dark depths in search of the Rowdyruff.

Slowly sinking to the bottomless pit of the lake was Butch's lifeless body. His hand was extending out towards her and Buttercup feels the panic rise in her throat. 

Without a second thought, she finds herself pushing deeper and deeper into the water. Her movements were heavy and the water was making her unbearably slow. It also didn't help that the water was so cold it made Buttercup's brain feel like it was going to burst. 

_You won't reach him,_ Buttercup's mind mocks her and she feels her agitation grow. Her limbs begin to push harder, coursing through the water as she attempts to get closer to the sinking Rowdyruff. 

_Just grab his hand. You can pull him back up to the surface,_ Buttercup thinks to herself. 

Buttercup's fingers are outstretched, reaching and reaching for Butch's hand. A shock of cold pressure stutters inside Buttercup's chest, but she forces an iron grip onto Butch's hand and yanks him up as hard as she can.

Buttercup was beginning to feel lightheaded. Her brain was screaming at her body. _Swim, damn it!_

Buttercup's head breaks through the water and into the open air. The air was cold and harsh against her face and Buttercup feels another shiver rake down her body as she begins to pull herself out of the hole, her hold around Butch's hand never loosening.

With all the energy she had left, Buttercup hauls Butch's body out of the lake and onto the slippery ice, cushioning the back of his head with one hand while the other skims over his ice-frozen cheeks. 

"Butch!" She could feel him shivering against her and she was beginning to panic. There was nothing she could do to warm him up. She just needed him to open his eyes. 

"Butch, you idiot, wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

-UD-

_Wake up!_

Butch rises from his bed with one big wheeze. 

The Rowdyruff was having a coughing fit, his body shivering as both hands reach up to hold his throat while heaves, his body desperately gulping at the air.

Butch had drowned in his dream. 

He knew he was sinking, but he couldn't get his body to move. Buttercup had dived in and pulled him back up to the surface. He remembers her hands clutching his face, her angry voice piercing through his ears as she screamed at him to wake up. 

"Fuck," Butch slowly drops his hands from his throat and reaches for his blanket. He pulls the cover way over his body, trying to regain some heat. His body wouldn't stop shivering. 

_It felt so real._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments!! You're all so kind :')


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